The Senate has begun the voting process on the report of the Constitution Review Committee on the 5th Alteration Bill 2022.
Prior to the commencement of the voting on the 68 Bill listed in the report presented by the Deputy President of the Senate and Chairman of the Senate Committee on Constitution Review, Senator Ovie Omo-Agege, All Progressives Congress, APC, Delta Central, the Senate had outlined the process for considering provisions in the bill seeking to amend the 1999 Constitution.
President of the Senate, Senator Ahmad Lawan who came up with the rules, said that 68 documents in all harmonized by both chambers of the National Assembly will be considered for voting.
According to him, Ovie Omo–Agege will present the report upon which comments will be made by interested Senators, adding that an electronic mode of voting will be adopted with members’ automated cards will serve as voting cards.
Lawan who noted that the voting instruments have been tested and ready for the exercise said that for a bill to pass through, it needs 88 votes which is four-fifths of the 108 senators, or 73 votes which is two-thirds of senators.
Lawan said “If a bill passes in the Senate and also in the House of Representatives, such bill must have passed the authorization of the National Assembly and will be transmitted to state Assemblies for concurrence.
“But if a bill passes here in the Senate and fail in the House of Representatives, it is dead. And vice–versa”.
Meanwhile, the Senate failed to pass a Bill to provide for the procedure for Overriding Executive Veto in Respect of Money Bill, just as it passed a bill Abrogate the State Joint Local Government Account and Provide for special Account into which shall be paid all Allocations due to Local Government Councils from the Federation Account and from the Government of the State.
The Upper Chamber has also passed a Bill to establish Local Government as a Tier of Government and Guarantee their Democratic Existence, Tenure, just as it passed a Bill to Provide for the Financial Independence of State House of Assembly and State Judiciary.
Also passed is a bill to compel persons to obey or comply with Legislative Summons as well as that that would regulate the first Session and Inauguration of Members-Elect of the National and State Houses of Assembly.
A Bill to Change the Name Barikin Ladi Local Government Area; and for Related Matters failed to sail through, just as it passed a Bill to Correct the Name of Correct name Atigbo Local Government Area; and for Related Matters and a Bill to Correct the Name of Obia/Akpor Local Government Area.
