Having passed all the necessary amendments, the National Assembly on Tuesday transferred the Fourth Alteration of the nation’s Constitution Bill, 2014 to State Houses of Assembly for consideration and passage.
Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekwerenmadu, chaired the Senate Committee on the Review of the 1999 Constitution.
In his remarks at a ceremony held at the National assembly to Complex to transmit the Bill to the state houses of Assembly, he said the Constitution (Fourth Alteration) Bill, 2014, is in line with the will of the Nigerian people.
According to him, the amendments “set out institutional and legal reforms, which together with sufficient political will, may help to provide for constitutional and other legal guarantees for the practice of true federalism; provide for accountability and transparency in governance; and, create an independent judicial system that would ensure the proper administration of justice in Nigeria.
“There will be a corresponding review of the revenue distribution formula to reflect the redistribution of our Legislative List”.
Ekwerenmadu, insisted that at no point did the National Assembly impose its will on Nigerians.
He spoke further, “The Bill we transmit to you today is an aggregation of the will of the Nigerian people. I must state, as I have invariably done throughout the review process, that at no point did the National Assembly have a predetermined position on any matter contained in the Bill. The Bill is a product of popular will, extensive consultations and collaboration with stakeholders, and exhaustive deliberations”.
Therefore, he called on the State Houses of Assembly to expedite action on the Bill, with a view to passing it possibly by November 2014.
“This Bill, being the product of people’s will, it behoves on you to do all within your individual and collective capacities to ensure its smooth passage in obeisance to popular will. As lawmakers, this ranks as one of the highest compliments we can pay the people”.
“I believe you would hasten to play your part as we all seek to consolidate democratic gains and continue to nurture a vibrant democracy.
“ I have invariably done throughout the review process, that at no point did the National Assembly have a predetermined position on any matter contained in the Bill. The Bill is a product of popular will, extensive consultations and collaboration with stakeholders, and exhaustive deliberations.
“I believe you would hasten to play your part as we all seek to consolidate democratic gains and continue to nurture a vibrant democracy.”
While receiving the Bill on behalf of the 36 State Houses of Assembly, the Chairman of the Conference of Speakers of State Legislatures and Speaker of the Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly, the Rt. Hon, Samuel Ikon, assured that the Bill would receive accelerated and positive action.
During consideration, the Houses of Assembly are simply expected to vote “Yes” or “No” on each clause. Each amendment requires approval by resolution of the Houses of Assembly of not less than two-thirds of all the States, which translates to 24 States to scale through in accordance with the provisions of Section 9(2) of the 1999 Constitution.
