US President Joe Biden has reacted to the attack on Ukraine by Russian troops.

Biden, in statement on his Twitter handle, condemned the highhandedness of Russian President Vladimir Putin, stating that Russian alone is responsible for the death and destruction of Ukrainians.

The statement reads: “The prayers of the entire world are with the people of Ukraine tonight as they suffer an unprovoked and unjustified attack by Russian military forces.

“President Putin has chosen a premeditated war that will bring a catastrophic loss of life and human suffering.

” Russia alone is responsible for the death and destruction this attack will bring, and the United States and its Allies and partners will respond in a united and decisive way. The world will hold Russia accountable.

“I will be monitoring the situation from the White House this evening and will continue to get regular updates from my national security team.

“Tomorrow, I will meet with my G7 counterparts in the morning and then speak to the American people to announce the further consequences the United States and our Allies and partners will impose on Russia for this needless act of aggression against Ukraine and global peace and security.

“We will also coordinate with our NATO Allies to ensure a strong, united response that deters any aggression against the Alliance. Tonight, Jill and I are praying for the brave and proud people of Ukraine.”

Other world leaders also condemned the invasion.

Boris Johnson said: “I am appalled by the horrific events in Ukraine and I have spoken to President Zelenskyy to discuss next steps.

“President Putin has chosen a path of bloodshed and destruction by launching this unprovoked attack on Ukraine. The UK and our allies will respond decisively.”

Ursula von der Leyen, the head of the EU Commission, who had announced new sanctions against Moscow just hours before the attack wrote: “We will hold the Kremlin accountable.”

Ukraine’s president, Volodymyr Zelenskiy, who reacted to the attack via a video, appealed to the Russian public for help after an attempt to speak to Putin was unsuccessful.

“Do “Russians want wars? I would very much like to answer this question. But the answer is up to you,” he said.

He also vowed to defend the country, saying: “If someone attempts to take away our land, our freedom, our lives, the lives of our children, we will defend ourselves.

“By attacking, you will see our faces, not our backs, but our faces.”

By Sanni Onogu, Tony Akowe and Nicholas Kalu, Abuja

• Constitution review enters crucial stage

• Speaker to Reps: you must participate

Another attempt to review the 1999 Constitution will be revved up at the National Assembly when lawmakers vote on 67 bills from Tuesday.

The joint constitution review committee has proposed 67 bills – each on all the items being proposed for amendment.

The “Report of the Senate Committee on the Review of the 1999 Constitution (Fifth Alteration) Bills 2022” was laid by Deputy Senate President, Senator Ovie Omo-Agege.

Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Ahmed Idris Wase, did the same at the Green Chambers.

Both the Senate and the House of Representatives will vote to adopt or reject the 67 bills proposed by the Joint Committee in the Report.

For a proposal to scale through, it must be supported by two-thirds of members.

A key item to be voted on is the Value Added Tax (VAT), which is in contention between the federal and state governments over who should be collecting it and how it should be shared.

A Federal High court judge on August 10, 2021, endorsed the Rivers State government’s prayer to start collecting VAT within its jurisdiction.

The Court of Appeal said the status quo should be maintained.

The case is now before the Supreme Court. Lagos State and others have also joined.

The lawmakers will vote on the proposal to put VAT on the Exclusive List, which will take it within the purview of only the Federal Government.

Other major items are bills on devolution of powers, local governments, legislature, judicial reform, women and vulnerable groups, institution strengthening and good governance.

Others are political parties and electoral matters, Federal Capital Territory, fundamental human rights and national security.

Lawmakers will also vote indigeneship, another flashpoint in many parts of the country.

On devolution of powers, the lawmakers will vote on six bills, such as who should establish and manage airports.

This function is presently being undertaken by the Federal Government through agencies like the police, National Identify Management Commission (NIMC) and others.

Another issue is the setting up and management of Correctional Services, Railways and National Grid System (power).

Both the Correctional Service and railways are on the Exclusive List, but lawmakers will vote on allowing states to participate in these areas.

There have been arguments that states should be allowed to build and operate prisons.

Some states have set up power generating stations but have no legal backing to transmit them.

There are eight bills on local government administration and financial autonomy.

Although there is already a constitutional provision on local government autonomy, the reverse is the case in reality as state governors have vowed not to set LGAs free.

The Supreme Court recently struck down President Muhammadu Buhari’s Executive Order 10 granting financial autonomy to state Houses of Assembly and state high courts.

They will also vote on eight bills which include financial autonomy for state legislatures and state judiciary, the procedure for overriding the President’s veto in constitution alteration, ordinary/menu bills, removal of presiding officers and pension for presiding officers of the legislature.

There are 12 bills on judicial reforms. They include bills on the establishment of the Federal Revenue Court and the revenue court of a state, timelines for determination of civil and criminal causes, the uniform retirement age of judicial officers and pension rights, judiciary (visual/remote court hearings) and the inclusion of judges of the National Industrial Court in the composition of the election tribunals.

At the moment Justices of the Supreme Court retire at age 70, the Justices of the Court of Appeal, 70 and judges of the Federal High Courts retire at 65, while state High Court judges also retire at age 65.

The bills if adopted may see Supreme Court Justices retiring at age 75, while Justices of the Appeal Court and judges of the Federal High Courts may both retire at age 70.

There are also six bills dealing with the issue of women and vulnerable groups. They include special seats for women, expansion of the scope of citizenship by registration, affirmative action for women in political party administration, amongst others.

On political parties and electoral matters, the lawmakers would be voting on three bills which include the restriction on the formation of political parties, independent candidacy and diaspora voting.

There are also three Bills regarding the Federal Capital Territory. They are: Mayoral status for the FCT, the appointment of FCT Minister and correction in the boundary of the FCT, Abuja.

The Red and the Green Chambers are not expected to vote along the same lines from next week. While the Senate may adopt particular bills, the House is at liberty to reject such bills if it so desires.

However, any discrepancy between bills adopted or rejected by any of the chambers would be resolved by a harmonisation committee soon to be set up by both chambers after the voting.

House Speaker Femi Gbajabiamila threatened to publish the names of lawmakers who are absent from proceeding during the voting.

Gbajabiamila, while speaking at the plenary yesterday, urged lawmakers to participate because of its significance to the country.

He said: “Honourable members, we will be voting on the first set of constitution amendments on March 3 and 4.

“It is important that all members should be present on Wednesday and Thursday. We will publish any name that is not present on that day.”

The proceedings were witnessed by the First Lady, Aisha Buhari.

President Muhammadu Buhari will sign the long-awaited Electoral Act Amendment Bill 2021 tomorrow

Our correspondent learnt that he will perform the act at noon.

It will end speculations that the President may withhold assent again.

The National Assembly transmitted the bill to him for the second time on January 31 after reviewing it.

President has a 30-day window within which to either assent or withhold assent.

Sources said arrangements have been concluded for the signing.

“All these anxieties will disappear by Friday afternoon. He will be signing the bill around noon of that day.

“I believe he has taken his time so that the Act can be as unassailable as much as possible,” a source said.

President Buhari cited the cost of conducting direct primary elections, security challenges and possible manipulation of electoral processes as part of the reasons for withholding assent last November.

The Conference of Nigeria Political Parties (CNPP) claimed there was pressure on the President not to sign the Bill.

In a statement by its Secretary-General, Chief Willy Ezugwu, the group said: “Electronic transmission of election results was the reason the bill was returned to the National Assembly, not about the mode of election at party primaries as we were told.

“Secondly, we have discovered another reason the APC and their allies are now putting pressure on President Buhari not to sign the Electoral Act as re-amended in line with President Buhari’s demands.

“The APC finds clause 84 in the amendment unfavourable to the party. According to Clause 84 of the transmitted bill, ‘No political appointee at any level shall be a voting delegate or be voted for at the convention or congress of any political party for the purpose of the nomination of candidates for any election’.

“The implication is that all political appointees in President Buhari’s government would no longer be eligible, either as voting delegates or aspirants during the conventions or congresses of their political parties.”

But, Chairman, House Committee on Defence, Babajimi Benson, said the controversial Clause 84 (10)  only seeks to create a level plain field for all aspirants.

He said the provision does not require appointees to resign before participating in conventions and congresses.

“Even if it does prevent political office holders from running, there’s a provision in the constitution that protects them,” the lawmaker added.

Imo State Governor, Hope Uzodimma, described as unnecessary the worries expressed by some Nigerians over the perceived delay.

He told reporters: “To give Nigerians the best, the President has to study the Amended Act before signing it into law.

“If in the process he discovers things in the Act that are not in the interest of the people of Nigeria he has the constitutional mandate to move it back to the National Assembly for corrections before his assent.”

By Sanni Onogu, Tony Akowe and Nicholas Kalu, Abuja

The First Lady, Mrs. Aisha Buhari, was at the National Assembly yesterday to witness the legislative proceedings.

She led a delegation that included the Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Mrs. Zainab Ahmed and the Minister of Women Affairs, Dame Pauline Tallen.

Also in the team were “37 potential female senators” in 2023, according to Deputy Senate President Ovie Omo-Agege.

Senate President Ahmad Lawan said Mrs. Buhari was at the National Assembly to show her support for one of the Bills in the report of the National Assembly Joint Committee on Constitution Review.

Read Also; PHOTOS: First Lady Aisha Buhari leads women to observe proceedings at National Assembly

The Bill, according to him, seeks to create an affirmative action for more female parliamentarians in both chambers of the National Assembly and the states’ Houses of Assembly.

Lawan described the First Lady’s visit as “unusual”, especially for the cause of legislative action.

He said: “Let me say that this is a special segment of our sitting. It is not usual that we have the presence of the First Lady in the Chamber for particularly the cause of legislative action.”

At the House of Representatives, Mrs. Buhari did not make any remarks, in line with legislative etiquette in chambers.

The First Lady was ushered into the chamber by Chief Whip Tahir Monguno and Deputy Whip Nkiru Onyejiocha.

Speaker Femi Gbajabiamila said Mrs. Buhari was visiting in her capacity as a woman to show support for the amendment in areas that promoted the welfare of women.

The Speaker expressed appreciation to the First Lady for various efforts to improve the welfare of women.