Amid dissenting voices, the
House of Representatives yesterday commenced moves to amend the 1999
Constitution
Specifically the initiative
which seeks to amend Sections 8 and 9 of the Constitution, relating
to creation of states and boundary adjustment, was however endorsed
after a heated debate by the federal lawmakers.
Efforts by both chambers of
the National Assembly to amend the constitution through a joint
committee ran into troubled waters over who should the chairman
between Deputy Senate President, Senator Ike Ekweremadu and Deputy
Speaker, Hon Usman Nafada, forcing the lower chamber to now embark
on the exercise via a bill.
The move was contained in a
bill sponsored by Hon Ita Enang on behalf of 18 others federal
lawmakers namely Hons Samson Osagie, CID Maduabum, Patricia Etteh,
Aminu Shehu Shagari and Festus Adegoke among others.
Entitled "procedure for
amendment of the 1999 Constitution brought under Order 1, Rule 1
(2), standing Orders of the House of Representatives, 2008’" the
motion essentially sought leave of the federal legislature to
commence the amendment in accordance with the procedure relating to
treatment of bills in the House.
Canvassing support for the
bill, Enang said it was intended to lay the basis for the amendment
which will ultimately involve the Senate and the 36 states Houses of
Assembly.
The bill, Enang stated will be
considered clause by clause by federal lawmakers with everyone
allotted equal time to make contributions.
He said after the second
reading of the bill, a clean copy will then be produced and read a
third time by a vote of two-third majority for avoidance of doubt,
and the bill as passed shall be forwarded to the senate for
concurrence.
Subsequently Enang said the
bill will be adopted by the House in plenary and transmitted by the
clerk to the National Assembly to each of the 36 states Houses of
Assembly for ratification.
In his contribution, Hon Henry
Dickson said the move was laudable as it would afford the House the
opportunity to effective carry out its responsibility in altering
the affected sections of the constitution.
He however called for
amendment to the prayers in the motion to make it possible for every
federal lawmaker to make his contribution on the general principles
of the exercise.
Similar, sentiments were also
expressed by other lawmakers namely Hons James Idachaba, John Eno,
Shehu Matazu, Sola Jibia, Gbenga Oduwaiye, and Barnabas Bala.
The motion was however opposed
by some lawmakers namely Hons Samson Positiive, Jumoke-Okoya Thomas,
Terngu Tsegba and Leo Ogor.
Although they clarified that
they were not opposed to constitutional amendment but felt the
procedure being adopted was unconstitutional.
