The House of Representatives on Tuesday rejected six bills to amend the constitution. One, an amendment bill, which seeks to establish the principle of rotation for the offices of the president and vice president among Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones. Two, a bill to amend the Constitution to strip the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, of
The House of Representatives on Tuesday rejected six bills to amend the constitution. One, an amendment bill, which seeks to establish the principle of rotation for the offices of the president and vice president among Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones. Two, a bill to amend the Constitution to strip the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, of powers to register and regulate political parties.
In what looked like a bill rejection spree, the House rejected at least four other bills to change the status quo. The rejected bills included one to alter the constitution to provide for the establishment, independence and functions of the Offices of State Auditors General for Local Governments and the Federal Capital Territory Area Councils.
However, the bills may be represented at Wednesday’s plenary, as procedural errors may have caused some to fail. They were said to have been lumped together by the sponsors instead of presenting them individually.
They include ‘A Bill for an Act to Alter the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999, to remove from the Independent National Electoral Commission the Powers of Registration and Regulation of Political Parties in Nigeria and Transfer the same to the Office of the Registrar General of Political Parties and for Related Matters (HB. 2227) (Hon. Abbas Tajudeen and Hon. Francis E. Waive)’.
‘A Bill for an Act to Alter the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Cap. C23, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004, to Provide for the Principle of Rotation of the Offices of the President and the Vice President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria among the Six Geopolitical Zones of the Country, Namely: North Central, North East, North West, South East, South South, and South West and Related Matters (HB. 2291) (Hon. Benjamin Okezie Kalu).
Tuesday’s plenary session was presided over by the deputy speaker, Benjamin Kalu, who also sponsored the bill on rotating the offices of the President and Vice President between the six geopolitical zones of North-Central, North-East, North-West, South-East, South-South, and South-West.
‘A Bill for an Act to Alter the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Cap. C23, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004, to Provide for Establishment, Independence, and Functions of the Office of the State Auditors-General for Local Governments and the Federal Capital Territory Area Councils, to Strengthen Fiscal Oversight, Promote Accountability and Enhance Good Governance at the Grassroots and for Related Matters (HB.2288) (Hon. Julius O. Ihonvbere).
‘A Bill for an Act to Alter the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Cap. C23, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004, to expand the jurisdiction of the Federal High Court to include Admiralty Jurisdiction, including Shipping and Navigation on the River Niger, River Benue and their effluents, and on such other Inland Waterways as may be designated by an Act of the National Assembly as International Waterways, all Federal Ports, and Carriage by Sea and for Related Matters (HB.2280) (Hon. Julius o. Ihonvbere).’
‘A Bill for an Act to Alter the Provisions of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999, to Empower the National Judicial Council to Fix and Review, in Conjunction with the National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission, the Salaries, Allowances, and other Emoluments of Judicial Officers and Staff of the Judiciary, and for Related Matters (HB.2281) (Hon. Julius O. Ihonvbere), and ‘A Bill for an Act to Alter the Provisions of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999, to Create Ughelli East Local Government Area in Delta State and for Related Matters (HB.2248) (Hon. Francis Ejiroghene Waive).’
Bill Seeking Rotational Presidency
However, the bill seeking to rotate the office of the President and Vice President among the six geopolitical zones generated a heated debate among the lawmakers, with several of them opposing the idea and warning against setting a dangerous precedent with it.
Aliyu Madaki, the Deputy Minority Leader, spearheaded the opposition to the bill, stating that the Federal Character Commission had already addressed the problems it aims to resolve and cautioning that the rotation issue should not be incorporated into the constitution but rather left alone. According to Madaki, the current political parties already have a system in place to guarantee equitable representation in the distribution of posts throughout each election cycle.
Sada Soli (APC, Katsina) found the suggested change clever, but she questioned whether it wouldn’t undermine the quality issue. She stressed that adopting the rotation principle will not be in the interest of the country, as it will promote regional and ethnic rivalry among the various zones of the country.
In his submission, Hon Shina Oyedeji (PDP, Oyo) said if the rotational principle is included in the constitution, every state and tribe in the various zones will begin another round of agitation for fairness and justice. “If you adopt zoning and it comes to the South West, for example, which state will take the position?” he asks, expressing his belief that all citizens should have an equal chance to run for the positions of president and vice president. Is it Oyo or Ogun?
Bello Mohammed El-Rufai also responded, asking what would happen if the president passed away while in office, as was the case with previous President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua.
He said that even if the rotation principle is allowed, the public will always be suspicious, and enacting the clause will violate every Nigerian’s right to run for office.
“There will always be a cry for marginalisation in Nigeria, no matter what you do,” he remarked. By including it in the Constitution, we should avoid setting a risky precedent.
