2nd Alteration Bill: Houses of Assembly submit resolutions - Nigerian Observer

Another milestone in the history of Nigeria’s constitutional development was yesterday achieved, when the Conference of Nigeria Speakers submitted their state Assemblies resolutions on 2nd Alteration Bill 2010 of the Nigerian Constitution to the National Assembly.

Making the symbolic handover to Senate President David Mark, Chairman of the Speakers Conference, Barr. Haruna Gbana, commended NASS for their decision to appeal the recent judgment concerning the 1st Alteration Bill.

“It is my humble opinion that because of the anxiety generated by this judgment and the likelihood of this matter heating up the polity as we get nearer to the May 29th handover date, the Judiciary should in the national interest accelerate the process of taking a final decision on this matter”, he said.

This is even as Senate President Mark submitted that the inclusion of a clause that makes members of the NASS automatic members of the National Executive Committee (NEC) of their parties is not self-serving as the Act would outlive them in office.

“How can it be self serving; does it mean that after the tenure of this National Assembly, the Act would be thrown away? No, when passed into law, it would be a law that will outlive all of us.

There is no need for people to castigate members of the National Assembly; we will always abide by Superior argument; I advise all Nigerians to come to Public Hearing ahead of the Electoral Bill; whatever the majority views are would be binding on us; there is nothing secret”, Sen. Mark continued.

He stressed that the National Assembly welcomes constructive criticism and that “it helps us perform better, but must be based on sound reasoning”, asserting that the NASS now understands the due process of Constitution amendment and praised
the 36 State Houses of Assembly for living up to the expectations of Nigerians.

By so doing, Senator Mark added that members of the State Houses of Assembly have exhibited uncommon patriotism and commitment to nationhood.

Earlier, the chairman of conference of Speakers, Istifanus Gbana had also told the NASS that the State Assemblies had to fast track the process of the alteration including shelving their holidays in order to meet the time frame for the 2011 polls.

With this alteration, Gbana said that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has no reason to delay the process of conducting free, fair and credible elections.

“The state legislatures for sure cannot be blamed for whatever may stand in the way of achieving the much talked about free, fair and credible election come 2011”, he added.