Knocks, Kudos For N/Assembly On Amended Constitution   

ILORIN: Different strokes for different folks. This aptly describes the scene at the interactive session on the amendment of the 1999 Constitution organised by Kwara State House of Assembly recently in Ilorin. Expectedly, there were varied opinions and reactions to the positions espoused by the National Assembly on certain aspects of the constitution. While some aspects of the harmonised version sent to all the 36 Houses of Assembly drew flak, it was a rousing ovation for others from participants at the well attended session.

•L-R: Hon. Babatunde Mohammed, Gov. Saraki, Senator Mohammed Ahmed at the interactive session at the Banquet Hall, Govt House, Ilorin.

Interestingly, two-thirds of the Houses of Assembly in the country are expected to give their blessing to the harmonised version before it can become law.

Most participants at the session, including the Nigerian Bar Association, the state chapter of the Nigeria Labour Congress and the state chapter of the National Council of Women Societies, NCWS, roundly condemned the decision of the National Assembly to endorse the issue of defection of elected politicians from one party to another and non-disqualification of candidates indicted by one probe panel or the other. They contended that this position, aside putting an end to the politics of ideology, would ultimately kill multi-party democracy.

In a position canvassed by the state chapter of the Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN, through its Secretary, Rev. Cornelius Fawenu, complete deletion of certain portions of section 66 that provides for the disqualification of candidates with questionable character is a negation of the Federal Government’s renewed fight against corruption. To CAN, rather than deleting these portions, they should have been amended in such a way as to protect candidates from being disqualified on the basis of any frivolous indictment.

While hailing the adoption of independent candidacy in future elections by the National Assembly, participants cautioned that those candidates must be seen to be people of honour, integrity and impeccable character. They also stressed the need for separation of powers among the three tiers of government, while decrying the present situation whereby the number of local governments is being used as a parameter for sharing revenue. To make the other arms of government independent, they canvassed the funding of the judiciary, Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, and the National Assembly from the consolidated revenue. They also lauded the National Assembly on its position that the deputies of both the President and Governors could take over within two weeks of their bosses’ absence, whether they transmit a letter or not to their respective Assemblies.

– Reported by Stephen Oni.