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Tag: Deputy President of the Senate

  • Bill to move Presidential Inauguration to National Assembly pass second reading in Senate

    Bill to move Presidential Inauguration to National Assembly pass second reading in Senate

    The Senate on Thursday, passed for a second reading,a bill for an Act to Provide for the Inauguration of the President and Vice-President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

    The bill, titled “Presidential Inauguration Bill, 2016’’, sponsored by the Deputy President of the Senate, Sen. Ike Ekweremadu, seeks to align presidential inauguration in Nigeria with what obtained in advanced democracies of the world.

    While leading the debate on the general principles of the bill, Ekweremadu explained that the bill sought to move the inauguration of the president and the vice-president from the Eagle Square to the National Assembly.

    He said the new arrangement would not prevent the Chief Justice of Nigeria from swearing in the president and vice-president.

    “You would recall that Nigeria transformed from operating a parliamentary Westminster system to the extant Presidential system which is  modelled after the U.S. Presidential system of government in 1979 and continued to the Fourth Republic from 1999 to date.

    “From the commencement of  Fourth Republic to 2015, inauguration or swearing-in of a newly elected president and vice-president  took  place at the Eagle Square.

    “This is at variance with what transpires in the United States and other democracies where their presidents and vice-presidents are inaugurated within the precincts of their parliaments.

    “This is a misnomer.  The popular or international best practice is for the leadership of the Executive to be inaugurated within the premises of the Legislature, who are perceived as the true representatives of the people,’’ he said.

    Ekweremadu said that the bill further provided for the inauguration ceremony of the president-elect and the vice-president-elect to take place at the Arcade of the National Assembly, where the people were represented.

    He further said the bill provided for the setting up of a Presidential Inauguration Committee,  consisting of a serving member of the National Assembly as chairman.

    He added that the committee would consist of  six members drawn from the Legislature, two from the Executive, two from the Judiciary and two from Civil Society Organisations.

    Consequently, the Senate approved for the bill to be read a second time after a voice vote and subsequently referred  to the Senate Committee on Special Duties for further consideration.

    A similar bill was sponsored by Sen. Jubril Aminu(Adamawa Central)  in 2009 and was passed by the 6th National Assembly but did not receive presidential assent.

  • Ekweremadu wants Presidential Inauguration shifted to NASS  

    Ekweremadu wants Presidential Inauguration shifted to NASS  

    The first reading of a Bill for an Act to provide for the inauguration of the President and Vice President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, also known as Presidential Inauguration Bill, 2016, was taken by the Senate in plenary Tuesday.

    The Bill, sponsored by the Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, seeks to move the inauguration of the President and the Vice President from the Eagles Square to within the precincts of the National Assembly, in tandem with international best practices as obtained in the United States of America, USA, and many other democracies.

    However, the 11-Section Bill does not seek to preclude the Chief Justice of Nigeria from administering the Oath of Office on the two foremost political leaders.

    It provides for the inauguration ceremony of the President-elect and the Vice President-elect to take place at the Arcade of the National Assembly, where the people are represented.

    It provides for the setting up of a Presidential Inauguration Committee, which shall consist of a serving member of the National Assembly as Chairman, six members drawn from the Legislature, two from the Executive, two from the Judiciary, and two from the Civil Society.

    No date has been fixed for debate on the general principles of Bill and a possible second reading.

    Section 7 provides for a Procession with the President, while former Presidents, former Heads of State, former Heads of Federal Government, former Vice Presidents, former Senate Presidents, former Speakers of the House of Representatives, and former Chief Justices of the Federation, follow.

    The Bill further provides for the President-elect and Vice President-elect to be the last to come, accompanied by their immediate families and also to be supported by their spouses, serving President of the Senate, and Speaker of the House of Representatives at the point of swearing-in.

    Although Nigeria’s current democratic system is modeled after that of the USA, some practices such as State of the Union Address and presidential inauguration practices are yet to be integrated into the nation’s democratic practices.

    A State of the Nation Address Bill sponsored by Senator Ekweremadu and passed by the 7th National Assembly was not accented to by the former President. However, it is expected to form part of the ongoing constitution amendment effort.

    The Presidential Inauguration Bill was also earlier by Senator Jubril Aminu in 2009 and passed by the 6th National Assembly, but was not also assented to by the former President.