President Buhari last week signed into law 16 constitution amendment bills out of the 35 bills transmitted to him by the ninth National Assembly.
One of the constitution review bills that President Muhammadu Buhari refused to assent to is a bill to empower the National Assembly and State Houses of Assembly to summon the President and governors.
Senate President, Ahmad Lawan, earlier on Tuesday announced that the upper legislative chamber was set to probe and unravel the reason behind President Buhari’s refusal to assent to 19 constitution review bills out of the 35 bills the National Assembly forwarded to him.
President Buhari last week signed into law 16 constitution amendment bills out of the 35 bills transmitted to him by the ninth National Assembly.
Disclosing the Senate’s constitution of the Senate committee to probe Buhari’s rejection of the 19 constitution amendment bills, in his remarks during the resumption of plenary on Tuesday, Senator Lawan said the Senate would engage with the Presidency to understand why the remaining the 19 bills were not assented to.
SaharaReporters obtained the full list of the bills President Buhari refused to assent to which include “Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (Fifth Alteration) Bill, No. 48, 2022 (Power to Summon the President and Governors – Sections 67 & 108).
“A Bill for an Act to Alter the Second Schedule to the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 to Empower the National Assembly and State Houses of Assembly to summon the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and Governors of States to answer Questions on issues on which the National and State Houses of Assembly have the Powers to make Law.”
Other bills the President failed to assent to include: “Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (Fifth Alteration) Bill, No. 65, 2022 (Food Security – Section 16)
“A Bill for an Act to Alter the Provisions of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 to require the Government to Direct its Policy towards ensuring Rights to Food and Food Security in Nigeria.”
The President also failed to assent to the “Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (Fifth Alteration) Bill, No. 54, 2022 (State of the Nation and State of the State Address – Sections 67 & 108).
“A Bill for an Act to Alter the Provisions of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 to provide for a State of the Nation and State of the State Address by the President and Governor.
“Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (Fifth Alteration) Bill, No. 55, 2022 (Composition of Members of the Council of State – Part I, Third Schedule).
“A Bill for an Act to Alter the Provisions of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 to Include Former Heads of the National Assembly in the Council of State.”
See the full list of the 19 rejected bills below:
1. Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (Fifth Alteration) Bill, No. 10, 2022 (Enforcement of Legislative Summons – Sections 89 & 129)
A Bill for an Act to Alter the Provisions of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 to compel persons to obey or comply with Legislative Summons
2. Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (Fifth Alteration) Bill, No. 24, 2022 (Expansion of the Interpretation of “Judicial Office” –Section 318)
A Bill for an Act to Alter the Provisions of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 to expand the Interpretation of Judicial Office to include Courts or Tribunals created by an Act of the National Assembly or a State Law of the House of Assembly.
3. Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (Fifth Alteration) Bill, No. 29, 2022 (Devolution of Powers [Airports] – Part I & II, Second Schedule)
A Bill for an Act to Alter the Provisions of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 to Move Airports from Exclusive Legislative List to the Concurrent Legislative List
4. Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (Fifth Alteration) Bill, No. 39, 2022 (Power to Enforce Compliance of Remittance of Accruals into the Federation Account and Review of Revenue Allocation Formula – Section 162 & Part I, Third Schedule)
A Bill for an Act to Alter the Provisions of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 to Empower the Revenue Mobilization Allocation and Fiscal Commission to Enforce Compliance with Remittance of Accruals into and Disbursement of Revenue from the Federation Account and Streamline the Procedure for Reviewing the Revenue Allocation Formula.
5. Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (Fifth Alteration) Bill, No. 40, 2022 (Independence of Certain Bodies – Sections 158 & 202)
A Bill for an Act to Alter the Provisions of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 to Enhance the Independence of Certain Bodies.
6. Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (Fifth Alteration) Bill, No. 41, 2022 (Removal of Transitional Law-making Powers of the Executive – Section 315)
A Bill for an Act to Alter the Provisions of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 to Remove Transitional Lawmaking Powers from the Executive Arms of Government
7. Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (Fifth Alteration) Bill, No. 43, 2022 (Domestication of Treaties – Section 12)
A Bill for an Act to Alter the Provisions of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 to Specify the Time within which the Executive shall present to the National Assembly any Treaty between the Federation and any other Country for Enactment
8. Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (Fifth Alteration) Bill, No. 44, 2022 (Timeline for the Presentation of Appropriation Bills – Sections 81 & 121)
A Bill for an Act to Alter the Provisions of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 to Specify the period within which the President or the Governor of State shall present the Appropriation Bill before the National Assembly or House of Assembly
9. Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (Fifth Alteration) Bill, No. 48, 2022 (Power to Summon the President and Governors – Sections 67 & 108)
A Bill for an Act to Alter the Second Schedule to the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 to Empower the National Assembly and State Houses of Assembly to summon the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and Governors of States to answer Questions on issues on which the National and State Houses of Assembly have the Powers to make Law
10. Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (Fifth Alteration) Bill, No. 49, 2022 (Authorisation of Expenditure – Sections 82 & 122)
A Bill for an Act to Alter the Provisions of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 to reduce the Period within which the President or the Governor of a State may authorize the withdrawal of Monies from the Consolidated Revenue Fund in the absence of an Appropriations Act from six months to three months.
11. Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (Fifth Alteration) Bill, No. 50, 2022 (Replacement/Correction of the Usage of the “Consolidated Revenue Fund of the Federation” with the “Consolidated Revenue Fund of the Federal Government” in the Constitution – Sections 80, 81, 82 & 83)
A Bill for an Act to Alter the Provisions of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 to Replace the Consolidated Revenue Fund of the Federation with the Consolidated Revenue Fund of the Federal Government
12. Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (Fifth Alteration) Bill, No. 51, 2022 (Creation of the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federal Government – Section 84)
A Bill for an Act to Alter the Provisions of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 to Establish the Office of the Accountant –General of the Federal Government separate from the Office of the Accountant –General of the Federation
13. Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (Fifth Alteration) Bill, No. 47, 2022 (Establishment of State Security Council – Section 197 & Part II, Third Schedule)
A Bill for an Act to Alter the Provisions of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 to Establish State Security Council; and for related matters
14. Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (Fifth Alteration) Bill, No. 54, 2022 (State of the Nation and State of the State Address – Sections 67 & 108)
A Bill for an Act to Alter the Provisions of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 to provide for a State of the Nation and State of the State Address by the President and Governor
15.Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (Fifth Alteration) Bill, No. 55, 2022 (Composition of Members of the Council of State – Part I, Third Schedule)
A Bill for an Act to Alter the Provisions of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 to Include Former Heads of the National Assembly in the Council of State.
16. Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (Fifth Alteration) Bill, No. 57, 2022 (Restriction on Formation of Political Parties – Sections 222 & 223)
A Bill for an Act to Alter the Provisions of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 to Enhance existing Provisions on the Formation of Political Parties
17. Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (Fifth Alteration) Bill, No. 62, 2022 (Correction in the Definition of the Boundary of the Federal Capital Territory – Part II, First Schedule)
A Bill for an Act to Alter the Provisions of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 to correct the Error in the definition of the Boundary of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.
18. Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (Fifth Alteration) Bill, No. 65, 2022 (Food Security – Section 16)
A Bill for an Act to Alter the Provisions of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 to require the Government to Direct its Policy towards ensuring Rights to Food and Food Security in Nigeria.
19. Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (Fifth Alteration) Bill, No. 66, 2022 (Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps – Section 213 & Part III)
A Bill for an Act to Alter the Provisions of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 to Reflect the Establishment and Core Functions of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps.