By Henry Umoru
Much anxiety had preceded last Wednesday’s vote on the proposals to alter specific provisions of the 1999 Constitution. Part of the anxiety had to do with the ability of the Senate to reach the threshold needed to push the proposals that had been broken down into 33 bills. The bills were desegregated to ensure that contentious issues that senators still disagreed on did not derail the entire project.
Given the provisions of Sections 8 and 9 of the Constitution which require a two-third majority of the 109 Senate to push through an alteration, the Senate leadership had its job cut out to mobilise senators to be present. At least 73 senators were needed to meet that requirement of two-third.
However, the provision to alter the mode of altering the constitution, however, was an exception as that needed a four-fifth majority to push through. That specific proposal required 87 senators to pass.
How they voted
1.Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, (Fourth Alteration) Bill, No. 1, 2017 (Composition of Members of the Council of State) to include former Presidents of the Senate and Speakers of the House of Representatives in the composition of the Council of State.
Yes, 95, Nays 0, Abstain, 0, PASSED .
- Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, (Fourth Alteration) Bill, No. 2, 2017 (Authorisation of Expenditure) – to reduce the period within which the President or Governor of a state may authorise the withdrawal of monies from the consolidated revenue fund in the absence of an appropriation act from 6 months to 3 months.
Yeas 93, Nays 1, Abstain, 1, total 95. PASSED
- Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, (Fourth Alteration) Bill, No. 3, 2017 (Devolution of Powers) -to move certain items to the Concurrent Legislative List to give more legislative powers to States.
Yes 46, Nays 43; Abstain- 1; Total- 95. REJECTED
- Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, (Fourth Alteration) Bill, No. 4, 2017 (Financial Autonomy of State Legislatures) – This alteration seeks to provide for the funding of the Houses of Assembly of States directly from the Consolidated Revenue Fund of the State.
Yeas, 90; Nays, 5; Abstain, 0 while total is 95. PASSED.
- Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, (Fourth Alteration) Bill, No. 5, 2017 (Distributable Pool Account) – to alter section 162 of the Constitution to abrogate the State Joint Local Government Accounts and empower each Local Government Council to maintain its own special account
Yeas, 84; Nays, 8; Abstain, 1 Total 93. PASSED.
.6.Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, (Fourth Alteration) Bill, No. 6, 2017 (Local Government) – To strengthen local government administration in Nigeria by guaranteeing the democratic existence, funding, and tenure of local government councils.
Yeas. 88; Nays, 7; Abstain, 1 Total 96. PASSED
- Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, (Fourth Alteration) Bill, No. 7, 2017 (State Creation and boundary Adjustment) – Tto alter section 8 of the Constitution to ensure that only democratically elected local government councils participate in the process of State creation and boundary adjustment. It also removed ambiguities in the extant provisions to enhance clarity with respect to the procedure for state creation.
Yeas, 47; Nays-48; Abstain- 0 Total 95. REJECTED.
8.Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, (Fourth Alteration) Bill, No. 8, 2017 (The Legislature) –To provide immunity for legislators.
Yeas, 93; Nays- 1; Abstain- 0; Total 94. PASSED
- Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, (Fourth Alteration) Bill, No. 9, 2017 (Political Parties and Electoral Matters) – To empower INEC to de-register political parties for non-fulfillment of certain conditions
Yeas 90; Nays, 0; Abstain, 0 Total 90. PASSED
- Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, (Fourth Alteration) Bill, No. 10, 2017 (Presidential Assent) – To alter sections 58, 59 and 100 to resolve the impasse where the President or Governor neglects to signify his/her assent to a bill from the National Assembly or withhold such assent.
Yeas- 95; Nays- 1; Abstain- 0 PASSED
11.Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, (Fourth Alteration) Bill, No. 11, 2017
11.2a To provide for 30 days deadline for the President to submit names of ministers within thirty days of taking the oath of office. Yeas- 75; Nays 19; Abstain, 0 PASSED
11.2b. Submission of Ministerial Nominees with Portfolios. Yeas, 78; Nays- 16; Abstain PASSED.
11.2c. 35% Affirmative Action for women in Federal Cabinet: Yeas 49; Nays, 43; Abstain, 2 REJECTED.
Clause 3 a. 30 Day deadline for governors to nominate commissioners after oath of office.
Yeas. 84; Nays, 7; Abstain, 0 PASSED.
Clause 3(b) names of nominees for the office of Commissioners to be accompanied with portfolio. Yeas, 87; Nays, 8; Abstain, PASSED.
Clause 3(c) 20% Affirmative Action for Women in State Cabinet Yeas, 61; Nays, 35; Abstain, 0 REJECTED
12.Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, (Fourth Alteration) Bill, No. 12, 2017(Appointment of Minister from the FCT) –
Yeas 77; Nays, 12; Abstain, 3 PASSED .
13.Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, (Fourth Alteration) Bill, No. 13, 2017 (Change of Names of some Local Government Councils) –
Yeas. 84; Nays 2; Abstain, 2 PASSED
14.Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, (Fourth Alteration) Bill, No. 14, 2017(Independent Candidature) –
Yeas, 82; Nays, 5; Abstain, 3 PASSED
- Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, (Fourth Alteration) Bill, No. 15, 2017 (The Police) – To change the name of the Police from “Nigeria Police Force” to “Nigeria Police”
Yeas, 87; Nays 2; Abstain, 1 PASSED.
16.Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, (Fourth Alteration) Bill, No. 16, 2017 (Restriction of Tenure of the President and Governor) – This Bill seeks to restrict a person who was sworn-in as President or Governor to complete the term of the elected President from contesting for the same office for more than one term.
Yeas, 89; Nays, 0; abstain PASSED
17.Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, (Fourth Alteration) Bill, No. 17, 2017 (Separation of the Office of Accountant-General) – To separate the office of the Accountant-General of the Federal Government from that of the office of the Accountant-General of the Federation.
Yeas, 89; Nays, 1; abstain, 0 PASSED
- Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, (Fourth Alteration) Bill, No. 18, 2017 (Office of the Auditor-General) – To put the office of the Auditor-General for the Federation and for the State on first-line charges in the Consolidated Revenue funds of the Federation and of the States.
Yeas, 95; Nays 0; Abstain, 0 PASSED.
- Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, (Fourth Alteration) Bill, No. 19, 2017 (Separation of the office of the Attorney-General of the Federation and of the State from the office of the Minister or Commissioner for Justice) –
Yeas, 95; Nays, 1; abstain, 1; PASSED
- Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, (Fourth Alteration) Bill, No. 20, 2017 (Judiciary) –This bill contains a vast array of alterations with regards to the Judiciary such as the composition of the National Judicial Council, and empowering Justices of the Supreme Court and Court of Appeal to hear certain applications in chambers thereby enhancing the speedy dispensation of justice.
Yeas, 95; Nays, 2; Abstain, PASSED
21.Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, (Fourth Alteration) Bill, No. 21, 2017(Determination of Pre-Election Matters) – This Bill seeks to among other things make provisions for timelines for the determination of pre-election disputes.
Yeas 97 Nays 0 Abstain 0 PASSED
22.Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, (Fourth Alteration) Bill, No. 22, 2017 (Civil Defence) – Inclusion of the National Security and Civil Defence as an item in the Exclusive Legislative List under the Second Schedule to the Constitution.
Yeas, 79; Nays, 15; Abstain, 1; PASSED
- Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, (Fourth Alteration) Bill, No. 23, 2017 (Citizenship and Indigeneship) – This Bills seeks to alter section 25 of the Constitution to guarantee a married woman’s right to choosing either her indigeneship by birth or by marriage for the purposes of appointment or election.
Yeas, 49; Nays, 46; abstain 0 REJECTED
- Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, (Fourth Alteration) Bill, No. 24, 2017 (Procedure for overriding Presidential veto in Constitutional Alteration) – This Bill seeks to among other things provide the procedure for passing a Constitution Alteration Bill where the President withholds assent.
Yeas 89; Nays, 3; Abstain, 0 PASSED
25.Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, (Fourth Alteration) Bill, No. 25, 2017 (Removal of certain Acts from the Constitution) – This Bill seeks to alter section 315 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 to remove the law-making powers of the Executive Arm of Government and delete the National Youth Service Corps Decree, the Public Complaints Commission Act, the National Security Agencies Act and the Land Use Act from the Constitution, so that they can be subject to regular process of amendment.
Yeas, 89; Nays, 3; Abstain, 0 PASSED
- Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, (Fourth Alteration) Bill, No. 26, 2017(Investments and Securities Tribunal) – This bill seeks to establish the Investments and Securities Tribunal under the Constitution.
. Yeas 76; Nays, 14; Abstain, 5 PASSED
- Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, (Fourth Alteration) Bill, No. 27, 2017 (Reduction of Age Qualification) – To reduce the age qualification for the offices of the President and Governor and membership of the Senate, House of Representatives, and the State Houses of Assembly.
Yeas, 86; Nays, 10; Abstain, 1; PASSED
- Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, (Fourth Alteration) Bill, No. 28, 2017(Authorisation of Expenditure 1) – This Bill seeks to provide for the time within which the President or Governor shall lay the Appropriation Bill before the National Assembly or House of Assembly to encourage the early presentation and passage of Appropriation Bills.
Yeas, 94; Nays, 0; Abstain, 0; PASSED
29.Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, (Fourth Alteration) Bill, No. 29, 2017 (Deletion of the NYSC Decree from the Constitution) –
Yeas, 88; Nays, 3; Abstain, 0; PASSED
- Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, (Fourth Alteration) Bill, No. 30, 2017 (Deletion of the Public Complaints Commission Act from the Constitution) –
Yeas, 90; Nays 1; Abstain, 2 PASSED
- Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, (Fourth Alteration) Bill, No. 31, 2017 (Deletion of the National Securities Act from the Constitution) –
Yeas, 92; Nays, 2; Abstain, 0; PASSED.
- Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, (Fourth Alteration) Bill, No. 32, 2017 (Deletion of the Land Use Act from the Constitution) –
Yeas 46; Nays, 44; Abstain, 0; REJECTED
- To delete State Independent Electoral Commission Electoral Commission form the Constitution. Yeas, 73; Nays, 19; Abstain, 2; PASSED
The post How the Senate Voted on Constitution Alteration appeared first on Vanguard News.
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