The National Assembly has accused 25 State Houses of Assembly of stalling the consideration of the Constitution amendment process.
Deputy President of the Senate and Chairman, Senate Ad hoc Committee on Constitution Review, Senator Ovie Omo Agege, who spoke on behalf of the lawmakers, disclosed this at a news conference held at the National Assembly in Abuja, on Tuesday.
Giving updates on the progress of the 44 bills transmitted to the state houses of Assembly for Consideration 6 months ago, Omo-Agege said only 11 State Houses of Assembly have shown their commitment to the Constitution Review Process so far including, Abia, Akwa-Ibom, Anambra, Delta, Edo, Kaduna, Katsina, Kogi, Lagos, Ogun, and Osun States.
He added that the conference of Speakers in the remaining 25 State houses of Assembly has refused to consider the 44 bills on the condition that the National Assembly considers 4 other bills already thrown out by the lawmakers.
The Bills include the Establishment of a State Police, the Establishment of the State Judicial Council, streamlining the procedure for removing the Presiding Officers of the State houses of Assembly, and the institutionalisation of Legislative Bureaucracy in the Constitution.
Expressing it’s displeasure over their decision, Omo-Agege said the the National Assembly is in no way averse to acting on any proposed Bill or memoranda appropriately tabled before it, at any time in its life.
“However, it is legally inappropriate for the Conference of Speakers to use the four Bills as a quid pro quo to on the 44 Bills of the National Assembly”, he said.
Notable Bills among the forty-four include: i. Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (Fifth Alteration) Bill, No. 1, 2022 (Local Government Financial Autonomy);ii. Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (Fifth Alteration) Bill, No. 2, 2022 (Local Government Administrative Autonomy);iii. Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (Fifth Alteration) Bill, No. 11, 2022 (Inauguration of Senators and MembersElect);iv. Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (Fifth Alteration) Bill, No. 26, 2022 (Fair Hearing in the Process of Recommending the Removal of Judicial Officers);v. Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (Fifth Alteration) Bill, Nos. 29, 30, 31, 32,33, and 34, 2022 (Devolution of Powers);vi. Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (Fifth Alteration) Bill, No. 39, 2022 (Power to Enforce Compliance of Remittance of Accruals into the Federation Account and Review of Revenue Allocation Formula);vii. Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (Fifth Alteration) Bill, No. 45, 2022 (Timeframe for the Submission of the Names of Ministerial or Commissioner Nominees);viii. Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (Fifth Alteration) Bill, No. 47, 2022 (Establishment of State Security Council);ix. Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (Fifth Alteration) Bill, No. 48, 2022 (Power to Summon the President and Governors);x. Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (Fifth Alteration) Bill, No. 51, 2022 (Creation of the Office of the AccountantGeneral of the Federal Government);xi. Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (Fifth Alteration) Bill, No. 53, 2022 (Separation of the Office of the Attorney General of the Federation and the State from the Office of the Minister or Commissioner for Justice) and xii. Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (Fifth Alteration) Bill, No. 58, 2022 (Independent Candidacy).
Omo-Agege said the National Assembly will not fold its arms at the brazen attempt by some Governors to truncate a constitutional process. In that case, the National Assembly will ultimately enable the disruption of the Nation’s democracy.
Shedding more light, Agege described the situation as worrisome saying that some State Governors will stop at nothing to pocket the Conference of Speakers and turn some State Assemblies into what he tagged as “political puppets”, thereby undermining and delegitimizing the legislative institution at the state level.
This interference Omo-Agege disclosed has been ramped up, especially in opposition to the Bills granting financial and administrative autonomy to local governments.
Drawing the attention of the well meaning Nigerian citizens, civil society organizations, interest/professional groups and institutions to prevail on the Conference of Speakers to revoke their threat, Omo-Agege stressed the process is non Political or for any personal interest but rather for the interest of all Nigerians.
“The Bills the National Assembly transmitted to the State Houses of Assembly as required by the Constitution are not about members of the National Assembly. It transcends our personal and political interests. It is about the people who have graciously given us the temporary privilege to serve them.
“It is, therefore, disheartening that some State Houses of Assembly, through the Conference of Speakers, would give the National Assembly conditions before fulfilling their constitutional obligations”, Omo-Agege said, adding that the plot by the State Governors and Speakers and members of Houses of Assemblies is in total disregard of the Nation’s Constitution, stating that the independence of legislation is being threatened.
He cautioned that, “An independent state legislature is essential to the well-being of Nigeria’s constitutional democracy. That is why the ongoing attempt by some State Governors, with the support of some Speakers and allies in the State Houses of Assembly, to eliminate that independence should alarm all Nigerians.
“This posturing by the Conference of Speakers of State Assemblies should be shown for what it truly is a total disregard for the Nigerian constitutional system.
“It remains true that each State House of Assembly is independent of the other. However, Constitution amendment Bills require the approval of two-thirds (24) of the 36 States House of Assembly before they can be presented for the President’s assent.
“Therefore, how a State Assembly decides on each of the Bills is its prerogative. But, there must be a decision for citizens to know where each State House of Assembly stands on the issues the Bills seek to address.”
Giving an account of how the Parliament arrived at the sixty six Bills for amendment, Omo-Agege said that the Constitution review committee had invited written submissions from citizens, interest groups, socio-cultural organizations and civil society organizations. Subsequently, the AdHoc Committee held zonal public hearings at 12 centres across the six geo-political zones; and a national public hearing in Abuja.
Additionally, Omo-Agege said after several meetings and engagements with the State Houses of Assembly, the Joint Committee of the Senate and the House of Representatives recommended 66 Constitution Alteration Bills for passage. He informed that out of the 66, 44 were approved by the Senate and House of Representatives. Subsequently, the 44 Bills were transmitted to the 36 State House of Assemblies
He commended all State Houses of Assembly that have successfully considered and approved the Constitution Alteration Bills.
The Deputy Senate President further urged the remaining 25 State Houses of Assembly to keep faith with Nigerians and the Constitution they swore to uphold by considering the 44 Bills.
Present at the briefing were the Senate Leader, Senator Abdullahi Ibrahim Gobir; Chief Whip of the Senate, Senator Orji Uzor Kalu; Deputy Chief Whip of the Senate, Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi and Minority Whip, Senator Chukwuka Utazi.
The President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Comrade Ayuba Wabba, and the National President of the National Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE), Comrade Ambali Akeem Olatunji, also attended the briefing.