Constitution Review: Reps Commence Voting Tuesday

ABUJA April 19, (THEWILL) - The House of Representatives will on Tuesday commence final consideration and voting on the review of the Constitution and the amendments proposed in the Electoral Act.

This is coming almost a month after the Senate concluded voting and passed its amended version of the Constitution.

Comprehensive consideration of the reports have been scheduled for Tuesday and Wednesday while actual voting is slated for Thursday.

Chairman House Committee on Rules and Business, Honourable Ita Enang told newsmen on Monday that the House has suspended all other matters slated for the week to enable lawmakers concentrate on the exercise.

Enang said the House will use the electronic voting device for the exercise to guarantee transparency and ensure that the required two third majority vote is met before a clause is passed.

Under the Constitution, 240 members representing two third of the total members of the House must vote in favour of a clause before it can pass.

Enang said the House will not be guided by the amendment already passed by the Senate but would independently pass its own versions and later harmonize with the Senate on any areas of differences.

Major areas being considered in the Constitution review includes a bill seeking to amend the land use act which is embedded in the 1999 constitution and another granting operational independence to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) by including its funding in the first line charge from the Consolidated Revenue Fund and provision for participation of  independent candidates in general election.

Also the legislature is considering proposals for additional sanctions for electoral offences including sanctions for persons convicted of electoral offences by declaring such convicts unfit to stand for election for ten years.

Others are clauses seeking the prohibition of party cross carpeting by elected office holders in addition to provisions seeking to exclude the use of report of administrative panels of inquiry to disqualify a candidate standing election.