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  • We didn’t vote on marriage age, says Senate

    We didn’t vote on marriage age, says Senate

    Overwhelmed by public reaction, the Senate yesterday said its members did not vote on Marriage Age.

    It said the Child’s Right Act is still intact and the lawful age of marriage is 18years.

    The Senate made the clarifications in a special note in Abuja by the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Information, Media and Public Affairs, Senator Enyinaya Abaribe.

    The note said: “For the avoidance of doubt, at no time did the senators vote, neither did they ever deliberate on any clause that has to do with marriage age. They also did not vote to introduce any new law on underage marriage.

    “The senators only voted to amend some clauses in the articles that were already in the constitution. What is important is for the issue to be put in its proper perspective.

    “This clarification has become necessary because of the wilful and deliberate act to distort and misinform the general public on what was never discussed nor contemplated by the distinguished senators.

    “At no time was marriage as a section of the constitution discussed or voted for.”

    The Senate gave details on what transpired at its plenary last week during the consideration of proposed amendments to the 1999 Constitution.

    The Senate said: “It is pertinent for the public to know that the section up for amendment had to do with persons qualified to renounce Nigerian citizenship.

    “The 1999 constitution as amended in Section 29, (which has suddenly become a hot issue for both informed and uninformed interpretation in the press and social media) states in Section 1 S29(1): ‘Any citizen of Nigeria of full age who wishes to renounce his Nigerian citizenship shall make a declaration in the prescribed manner for the renunciation”. S29(4): ‘For the purposes of subsection (1) of this section, (a) ‘full age’ means the age of 18 years and above; (b) ‘any woman who is married shall be deemed to be of full age’

    “The prevailing view of the committee before the initial vote was that Section 29(4) (a) was gender-neutral but with section 29(4) (b) specifically mentioning ‘woman’, it now looked discriminatory and, as such, is in conflict with Section 42 of the constitution, which prohibits discrimination of any form. The committee thus sought for it to be expunged from the constitution.

    “Senators therefore voted earlier to expunge that sub section and it scaled through by 75 votes. Note that under the constitution, to amend any clause you will need 2/3 of the members of the Senate, which translates to 73 votes.

    “However, the revisiting of the voting on that section was to take care of objections raised by distinguished Senator Ahmad Sani Yerima, among others. He pointed out that removing the clause 29(4) (b) contradicts section 61 of the second schedule of the constitution which restricts the National Assembly from considering matters relating to Islamic and Customary law.

    “Revisiting the section was pure and simple a pragmatic approach. It had to be so, considering that the Senate as the representative of the people, represents all interests and all shades of opinion.

    “Therefore, a fresh vote was called and even though those who wanted that section expunged were more in number, they failed to muster the needed votes to get it through. What it meant was that majority of senators voted to remove it, but they were short of the 2/3 majority or (73) required to alter an article of the constitution.

    “Had voting in constitutional amendment not been based on the mandatory two-third or (73) votes of senators at the sitting, perhaps the issue would have been rested by now, but be that as it may the outcome of the voting remains the position of the Senate. S29 (4) (b) still remains part of the constitution.”

    The Senate insisted that by the provision of The Child Rights Act, the lawful marriage age in the country is still 18 years.

    It said: “The National Assembly in 2003 had passed ‘The Child Rights Act’ which specifically took care of the fears being expressed in a cross section of the media. The Act clearly states in Section 21: “No person under the age of 18 years is capable of contracting a valid marriage and accordingly, any marriage so contracted is null and void and of no effect whatsoever.”

    22. 1. “No parent, guardian or any other person shall betroth a child to any person.”

    2. A betrothal in contravention of subsection (1) of this section is null and void.

    “Therefore under the Childs Right Act, the lawful age of marriage is 18 years.

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

  • ASUU strikes worrisome, says Senate

    ASUU strikes worrisome, says Senate

    The Senate yesterday said that incessant strikes by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), is worrisome.

    The upper chamber also said it is working assiduously to ensure that the industrial action by varsity teachers is called off without delay.

    Chairman, Senate Committee on Education, Senator Uche Chukwumerije, spoke when members of the National Association of Nigeria University Students (NANUS) visited the committee in Abuja.

    The students were at the National Assembly to express their concern over the spate of strikes by ASUU.

    The students noted that their findings showed the teachers had been on strike for 30 months in the last 12 years, some of the strikes lasting as long as eight months.

    Chukwumerije said his committee decided to grant the students audience because members realised that they were deeply concerned about unending strikes by ASUU.

    He said: “The Senate is working seriously to get ASUU to call off its strike. We are all concerned. The phenomenon of incessant strikes by ASUU is bothering us because it has negative effect not only on education but also on the country.

    “We also ask, must ASUU go on strike? Is there not other alternative to strike? We are bothered and we are working to see an end to the current strike by ASUU.”

    Chukwumerije said that the students raised important issue when they highlighted the issue of Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) by universities.

    He noted that all over the world, universities depended on themselves “but here universities depend 90 per cent on government.”

    He said that ASUU believes that government should honour the agreement it reached with union.

     

     

     

     

  • A nation of perverts and paedophiles

    A nation of perverts and paedophiles

    Senator and former Governor Ahmed Sani, the Yerima Bakura, has finally had his way. The Nigerian Senate has bowed to his will and agreed to be silent about the age that young girls can get married in Nigeria.

    What this means once it is followed through and enshrined in our laws and constitution is that girls that are as young as 9 years old, providing they are deemed as having been ‘’physically developed enough’’ by their suitors, could be lawfully bedded and married in our country.

    That is the sordid level that we have now, as a people and as a nation, degenerated to. I weep for Nigeria and, perhaps more appropiately, I weep for the Nigerian girl child. Yet we have no choice but to live with this new reality and to accept it as it is.

    After all, our representatives in the sacred halls of the Senate were not sensitive enough or ‘’man enough’’ to shoot down the whole thing, to stand firmly against the unholy agenda and to say boldly and firmly that ‘’come what may’’ our children must be protected from sexual deviants and reprobates.

    And since the Senate, in its infinite wisdom, has now endorsed the “Paedophile Charter” which essentially seeks to make it lawful and constitutional for very young girls to get married and to have sex, it is my view that we have now become a nation of perverts and paedophiles.

    Every Nigerian should bow his or her head in shame as from today because what the Senate did yesterday, and seeks to do in the future, by beginning the process to amend our constitution in order for it to cater for the filthy appetite and godless fantasies of child molestors and sexual predators is sordid, ungodly and unforgiveable.

    Surely we ought to be seeking to protect our children and not seeking to bed them. Yet it appears that not everyone shares our outrage and collective sense of shame. One Uche Ezechukwu made the following contribution which went viral on the social media networks and which I think speaks volumes. He wrote-

    “Those who are railing against ‘paedophile’ senators, like Yerima Bakura, must be told that a Muslim can’t go wrong while imitating the examples of the Apostle of Allah himself and the founder of his religion, in the same way a Christian cannot be criticised for following the examples of Jesus Christ. The Holy Prophet Muhammad (SAW) married Aisha at the age of six and consummated the marriage when she was nine. So, why are we judging Muslims by our own standards?”

    I am appalled by these words. The truth is that I have never heard such a self-serving and specious argument in defence of the philosophies and beliefs of the Ayatollah of Bakura, Senator Ahmed Sani, the practising paedophile who married and bedded a 12 year old Egyptian girl, as this one.

    Ahmed Sani himself could not have argued it better. Yet I think that it is an utter shame. And this is more so because the individual that is putting the argument is supposedly a Christian. The Old Testament of the Holy Bible prescribes ‘’stoning’’ for adultery but that does not mean that Christian countries, or indeed secular states like Nigeria, should stone adulterers.

    Neither does it mean that we should preserve the institution of slavery or crucify petty thieves simply because the Holy Bible endorsed both practices in the Old Testament. We must accept the fact that the interpretation of biblical and koranic provisions are evolutionary and are ever changing. Jesus Himself said ‘’laws are made for man and not man for laws’’.

    The suggestion that paedophilia has any place in any modern and decent society simply because it was once practised in the distant past is not only a despicable argument but it also does not make any sense. After all, cannibalism and child and human sacrifice were once widely practised and were held as being perfectly acceptable throughout the world as well, but that does not mean that we should practice any of those terrible vices today.

    The man, Uche Ezechukwu, who appears to be defending child rape in the name of Islam, should either let someone lay with and ‘’marry’’ his own 6 or 9 year old daughter or he should seal his lips forever and stop trying to defend the indefensible.

    His assertions, and I daresay those of Senator Ahmed Sani and anyone that shares their primitive views, are not only utterly immoral and reprehensible but they are also intellectually dishonest. I say this because the truth is that there is NO Muslim country in the world that has adopted the “paedophile charter” where 6 or 9 year olds can marry and be bedded except for possibly Saudi Arabia and Iran.

    Every other Muslim country in the world, including Turkey, Indonesia, Pakistan, Malaysia, Egypt, Jordan, Senegal, the Sudan, Tunisia, Afghanistan, Lebanon, Palestine, United Arab Emirates, Bangladesh, Qatar, Bahrain, Dagestan, Albania, Bosnia, Somalia, Algeria, Libya, Mali, Azerbijhan and Syria have specifically banned child marriage, paedophilia and child rape in their various constitutions and laws and some have declared it ‘’repugnant’’, ‘’unacceptable’’ and ‘’un-Islamic’’. Are these people not Muslims too?

    Like Christianity and Judaism, Islam is a noble, pure, honourable and ancient faith that seeks to protect the weakest and most vulnerable in society, including children. No-one should use the misinterpretation of its provisions to try to justify or rationalise what is essentially depraved, shameful, disgusting and barbaric behaviour and the most sordid and filthy expression of sexual deviance and perversion. Even animals do not marry or bed their own infants. The bitter truth is that paedophiles have no place in any civilised society.

    I am constrained to say that in the light of their “yes” vote to child marriage and their green light to paedophilia, every single member of the Nigerian Senate should bow their heads in utter shame and they should be compelled to offer their own infant and under age daughters for marriage. I repeat, they have turned us into a nation of perverts and paedophiles. I say a pox on all their houses.

  • Senate kills six-year tenure

    Senate kills six-year tenure

    •Legislators weaken NLC, TUC

    The Senate yesterday killed the proposal for six-year single tenure for president and governors as it voted on recommendations for further alteration of the 1999 Constitution.

    The lawmakers also rejected local government autonomy and mayoral status for the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

    It curiously voted ‘yes’ to make any woman eligible for marriage even if she is underage.

    It endorsed a proposal that Presidential assent shall no more be required for the purpose of altering the Nigerian Constitution.

    It also approved a proposal that a presidential or governor’s assent would not be required after a bill passed and transmitted to the president’s or governor had stayed for 30 days with the president or governor as the case may be.

    It granted financial autonomy to State Houses of Assembly.

    The Senate also endorsed first line charge for State Independent Electoral Commission, State Houses of Assembly, Auditor-General of the State and State Judiciary, but failed to approve first line charge for the Attorney-General .

    Before the historic voting began, Senate President David Mark reminded senators that they were on the threshold of history.

    Mark told the lawmakers, that for any clause to pass, 73 yes votes were needed.

    “I urge every Senator to vote according to his conscience. Every voting will accordingly be reflected on the votes and proceedings of the Senate. We have gone through this before and because of the importance of the issues slated for voting, we are not to resume debate again. You must, therefore, endeavour to vote according to your conscience,” Mark said.

    On presidential assent for Constitution amendment, the Senate voted that “for the purpose of altering the provisions of this Constitution, the assent of the President shall not be required.”

    In all, 95 senators endorsed the proposal while three opposed it.

    Clause 4 which sought the alteration of Section 29 of the Constitution almost threw works. In the upper chamber into turmoil.

    The Section is on renunciation of citizenship.

    It states (29)(1) “Any citizen of Nigeria of full age who wishes to renounce his Nigerian citizenship shall make a declaration in the prescribed manner for the renunciation. (4) For the purpose of subsection (1) of this section (a) ‘full age” means the age of eighteen years and above (b) any woman who is married shall be deemed to be of full age.”

    The Constitution review Committee recommended that the Section 29(4)(b) should be deleted.

    The Senate voted 75 ‘yes’ and 13 ‘no’ to delete the Section.

    The endorsement of the clause by the Senate became a battle between Senator Ahmed Sani Yerima (Zamfara West) and other senator.

    Yerima said the clause is against Islamic law and insisted that it should not be deleted.

    He noted that declaring maturity age for women is against Islamic law.

    He said the Constitution forbids the National Assembly from making law on Islamic matters.

    Yerima insisted that a second vote should be taken on the passed clause.

    Mark said he is not an expert on Islamic law and added that if Islamic scholars raise the same sentiment, it should be revisited.

    But Senator Danjuma Goje (Gombe Central) took up the matter from Yerima.

    He accused the Senate President of double standard.

    Mark took exception to the accusation and reiterated that he had been very consistent in the consideration of the clauses.

    He wondered why the issue should be made a personal matter.

    Following insistence by Yerima, Mark agreed that the clause should be revisited.

    Mark said, “Once more, because of the serious nature of the laws we make and because we want our actions to stand the test of time, we will revisit the issue raised by Yerima.

    “This is because of the sensitivity of issues that has to do with religion, we should revisit it so that we take another vote on it.

    “But Yerima is a member of the Constitution Review Committee, he should have raised the issue at that level.”

    Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu who chaired the review committee said that the clause has nothing to do with religion.

    Ekweremadu added that the Constitution Review Committee felt that a woman should be old enough to renounce Nigerian citizenship.

    He recalled that Yerima said the clause is unconstitutional at the review level but insisted that the clause has nothing to do with religion.

    A total of 99 Senators registered to vote on the controversial clause.

    The repeated vote showed that 60 Senators voted to retain the clause while 35 voted to delete it as recommended by the review committee.

    After the vote Mark said: “Once you are married, you are deemed to be of age whether you are one or two years it doesn’t really matter.”

    Immediately the clause was killed, there was outrage in the gallery as many spectators felt that the upper chamber had endorsed under age marriage.

    Yerima was later shouted down when he attempted to thank Senators for voting to retain the clause.

    On assent to a bill, the Senate passed alteration to Section 58 by inserting a new subsection “5A” which states: “Where the President neither signifies that he assents or that he withholds assent, the bill shall at the expiration of thirty days become law.”

    A total of 100 Senators registered to vote, 89 voted ‘yes’ while 11 voted ‘no’.

    The Senate also approved the alteration of the Section 100 by inserting a new subsection “5a” which reads: “Where the Governor neither signifies that he assents or that he withholds assent, the bill shall at the expiration of thirty days become law”

    On Section 81, financial autonomy to Attorney General of the Federation.

    A total of 100 Senators registered to vote.

    While 59 Senators voted that financial autonomy should be granted the Attorney General of the Federation, 41 voted ‘no’

    The clause failed to pass.

    A total of 83 Senators voted ‘yes’ to grant the Auditor-General of the Federation, 16 Senators voted ‘no’ while two abstained.

    On Revenue Mobilisation, Allocation and Fiscal Committee, 99 Senators voted ‘yes’ to grant it autonomy while two voted ‘no’.

    On National Human Rights Commission, the upper chamber voted 94 to six to grant the commission financial autonomy.

    The senate also approved that all labour matters would henceforth be handled at the state levels.

    Observers contended that this new development would weaken the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress (TUC) at the national level.

    The clause which states that “Any person who has held office as President or Deputy President of the Senate, Speaker or Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, shall be entitled to pension for life at a rate equivalent to the annual salary of the incumbent President or Deputy President of the Senate, Speaker or Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives was passed with a vote of 86 ‘yes’ and 13 ‘no’ with one abstention.

    Mark jokingly said that the clause was endorsed ‘overwhelmingly.’

    The Senate endorsed financial autonomy for State Independent Electoral Commission; State Houses of Assembly; Auditor-General of the State; and State Judiciary.

    But the lawmaker opposed first line charge Attorney General of State.

    The Senate voted 86 against,14 in favour and one abstention to nail the coffin of the clause on six year single tenure for President and Governors.

    On separation of the office of the Attorney General of the Federation from the office of Minister of Justice, the Senate voted 62 in favour and 35 against.

    The clause failed because at least 73 votes in favour were required.

    On direct payment to local governments from the Federation Account, 59 Senators voted in favour while 38 voted against while two abstained.

    The clause failed.

    The clause which sought to confer the power on the Attorney General to direct investigation in certain cases was killed with 62 Senators against and 31 in favour.

    The Senate killed the clause for Mayoral status for the FCT with 57 votes in favour, 39 against and two abstention.

    The Senate failed to remove the National Youth Service Corps Decree 1993 from the Constitution.

    It also failed to remove the Public Complaint Commission Act, National Security Agencies Act and the Land Use Act from the Constitution.

    It endorsed the changed Afikpo North and South Local Government Areas to Afikpo and Edda Local Governments.

    It also endorsed the change of Egbado North and Egbado South LGAs to Yewa North and Yewa South LGAs.

    Labour was deleted from the Exclusive List to the Concurrent List with 77 votes in favour and 17 against.

    Two Senators abstained.

    The Senate also voted in favour of Railways being placed on the Concurrent List.

    The votes tied at 72 Senators in favour and 23 against.

    Mark broke the tie by voting in favour of Railways going to the Concurrent List.

    The Lawmakers also removed pension matters from the Exclusive List but it failed to remove Prisons from the Exclusive List.

    Despite explanation from Senate Leader, Senator Victor Ndoma-Egba and Senator Umaru Dahiru that the removal will solve the problem of prison congestion, the Senators voted against the removal.

    The Senate also voted against removing the Chief Justice of Nigeria and other serving Judicial Officers as Chairman and members respectively of the Federal Judicial Service Commission.

    Chairman, Senate Committee on Judiciary, Senator Umaru Dahiru said that the CJN, Justice Mariam Aloma Mukhtar, wrote to request the status quo be maintained.

    Ekweremadu also informed the Senate that the CJN wrote to say that she was not comfortable with the clause.

    He said that the clause is before the Senate to take a decision on the matter.

    Mark also said that not withstanding the letter of the CJN, the Senate will vote on the clause.

    The clause was defeated with a vote of 72 against and 26 in favour.

    Mark voted against the removal of the CJN as Chairman of Federal Judicial Service Commission.

    At the end of the voting, Mark thanked Senators and declared: “Today is a historic day in the history of Nigeria.”

    “We voted for those issues that we think will make democracy to go on and make democracy to mature.”

    He thanked the Senate Committee on Constitution Review saying: “What ever sentiments they expressed, we have put them to test today.”

    Mark told the Senate that today would be devoted for valedictory session for the late Senator Pius Ewherido.

     

  • Senate votes on Constitution amendment today

    Senate votes on Constitution amendment today

    •32 clauses to be voted on may kill Mayoral status for FCT

    The Senate will today in plenary vote on clauses of the 1999 Constitution slated for amendment.

    The upper chamber concluded debate on an Act to alter the provisions of the 1999 Constitution and for other matters connected therewith 2013 on July 11.

    There are 32 clauses slated for amendment by Deputy Senate President Ike Ekweremadu’s led Committee on the review of the 1999 Constitution.

    During the three day debate, Senators rejected the proposition for six-year single term for the President and Governors. But majority of the lawmakers endorsed autonomy for local government.

    Some other issues assigned to the committee to consider included state creation, state police, fiscal federalism, role for traditional rulers, autonomy of local government, financial autonomy for State Houses of Assembly and regionalism, indigene and settler issue, separation of the office of the Attorney General and Minister of Justice and others.

    Clause by clause voting by the Senate would enable the two chambers of the National Assembly to meet in conference committee to harmonise areas of differences before sending the report to the State Houses of Assembly for their approval or rejection of the clauses.

    Chairman, Senate Committee on Rules and Business, Senator Ita Enang, who spoke on voting pattern in Abuja yesterday said that the Senate is likely to reject the proposal for Mayoral status for the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

    He noted that the sentiment by majority of the lawmakers is that approving a mayoral status for the FCT may challenge the position of the sitting

    President and pose a security threat to the country..

    Enang who represents Akwa Ibom North East said most of them feel that granting of mayoral status to the FCT is not in the best interest of the country.

    He added that in the United States, its capital Washington DC, is under the President and legislature, making the position of the mayor similar to the position of the local government chairman.

    According to Enang, the approval of mayoral status for the FCT is capable of challenging the authority of the President since the intent behind the establishment of the FCT was supposed to be based on neutrality.

    He said, “In Nigeria, there are 774 Local Government Councils. If you have a Mayor elected on another party different from that of the President there is bound to be crisis. The idea behind the establishment of a capital territory was intended to make for neutrality.

    “It is not in the interest of national security for us to create a mayoral status for the FCT while there is a sitting President.”

    “The trustee of the federation is the President of the country. That is the practice all over.

    “It will not be in the interest of national security and best practices to have a mayor of the FCT.

    “The FCT was not created to have a governor, instead it was supposed to have a minister appointed to administer it.”

     

     

     

     

  • Senate probes alleged expatriate quota violation

    Senate probes alleged expatriate quota violation

    The Senate Committee on Employment, Labour and Productivity has started investigation into alleged expatriates quota violations by oil and construction firms in the country.

    Chairman of the Committee, Senator Wilson Asinobi Ake, said the Committee has summoned the companies to determine their level of complicity or otherwise.

    Among the companies that appeared before the committee on last week, are Julius Berger Nigeria Plc, Setraco Nigeria Limited, B. Stabillini and Company Construction Nigeria Limited, PW Nigeria Limited, CCECC, Sarplast Nigeria Limited and Bullet International Nigeria Limited.

    Others are BNL Nigeria Limited, Salini Nigeria Limited, Gilmor Engineering Nigeria Limited, Gitto Constrozio Generali Nigeria Limited, Arab Contractors Nigeria Limited, and SCC Nigeria Limited, among others.

    Ake told the firms that it is worrisome that companies were in the habit of violating the laws of the land by non-compliance with labour laws that contained provisions on safety, security and welfare of workers in their respective work places.

    He noted that the Immigration Act, 2004, makes it mandatory that the companies that recruit expatriates’ personnel in engineering or technical sector, must also recruit Nigerians with relevant qualifications to understudy such expatriates within a specific period of time, in line with the policy on transfer of technology, expertise and succession plan.

    He insisted that such positions were not meant to be occupied permanently by expatriates as it is currently the case with most of the companies in the oil and construction industries in Nigeria.

    He said the action became necessary following complaints about non-compliance with the country’s employment policies, as well as other laws regulating the operations of such firms in the country, adding that the meeting was part of efforts to verify some of the complaints leveled against the companies by members of the public.

    Ake said the Committee had received numerous complaints against some of the companies violating the expatriate quota laws, the Local Content Act, as well as the general neglect of safety and the security of their workers, observing that certain jobs which ordinarily should be given to Nigerians were at the moment, being outsourced.

    He observed the the Employee Compensation Act, 2010, is explicit on the welfare and safety of workers, but regreted that it was not being complied with.

    Ake frowned at the neglect of the safety, security and welfare of workers, most of whom, he said were made to work under very strenuous and risky conditions without commensurate welfare package to cushion the negative effects on the workers and their families.

    He warned the companies to desist from conveying their staff to work places in trucks meant for cows.

    He said that such attitudes are in goss violation of the requirement of the International Labour Organization (ILO).

    He added though the affected companies pledged to make amends, the Committee however notified them that it shall soon embark on factory inspection visits to companies in fulfillment of its oversight functions in order to ascertain the claims of what those companies told the Committee.

  • Senate proposes 180 days for pre-election cases in court

    Senate proposes 180 days for pre-election cases in court

    THE Senate yesterday proposed 180 days within which to hear and dispose of pre-election matters in court.

    The proposal was contained in a supplementary report presented to the Senate by the Chairman, Senate Committee on the Review of the 1999 Constitution, Ike Ekweremadu in Abuja.

    Ekweremadu said the Bill entitled: “A Bill for an Act to further alter the provisions of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 and for other matters connected therewith, 2013” has been consolidated into the report of the Constitution Review Committee of the Senate.

    He said the provision would be referred to as “Section 285 of the Constitution (Section 9 of the Second Alteration Act) – Time for determination of Pre-election matters.”

    He added an appeal emanating from any pre-election matter shall also be heard and disposed of within 60 days.

    Ekweremadu said: “We recommend that Section 285 of the Constitution be altered by stipulating a time limit within which pre-election matters shall be filed and determined so that they do not linger in the courts for an unusual length of time. Accordingly, a new sub section 1A (i – iv) is provided as follows:

    “(i) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Constitution, every pre-election matter shall be filed not later than 7 days from the date of the occurrence of the event, decision or action complained of in the suit.

    “(ii) A court in every pre-election matter shall deliver its judgement in writing within 180days from the date of filing of the suit.

    “(iii) An appeal from a decision in a pre-election matter shall be filed within 14 days from the date of delivery of the judgement appealed against.

    “(iv)An appeal from a decision of a court in a pre-election matter shall be heard and disposed of within 60 days from the date of filing of the appeal.”

    ‘Pre-Election Matter’ in this section according to Ekweremadu means:

    “i. Any suit by an aspirant who complains that any of the provisions of the Electoral Act or any Act of the National Assembly regulating the conduct of primaries of political parties and the provisions of the guidelines of a political party for conduct of party primaries has not been complied with by a political party in respect of the selection or nomination of candidates for an election.

    “ii. Any suit by an aspirant challenging the actions, decisions or activities of the Independent National Electoral Commission in respect of his participation in an election or who complains that the provisions of the Electoral Act or any Act of the National Assembly regulating elections in Nigeria has not been complied with by the Independent National Electoral Commission in respect of the selection or nomination of candidates and participation in an election.

    “iii. Any suit by a political party challenging the actions, decisions or activities of the Independent National Electoral Commission disqualifying its candidate from participating in an election or a compliant that the provisions of the Electoral Act or any other applicable law has not been complied with by the Independent National Electoral Commission in respect of the nomination of candidates of political parties for an election. Timetable for an election, registration of voters and other activities of the Commission in respect of preparation for an election.”

    Also yesterday, Ekweremadu presented another “Bill for an Act to alter the provision of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 as amended 2012 and for other related matters.”

    He said: “This Bill seeks to alter the provision of Part 1 of the First Schedule in order to change the name of “Egbado North” and “Egbado South” Local Government Areas to “Yewa North” and “Yewa South” Local Government Areas respectively.

    “The committee recognizes that this is not a request for local government creation but for change of name of a local government which can be regarded as an alteration. The committee recommends to the Senate to consider the change of name of Egbado North and Egbado South Local Government Areas to Yewa North and Yewa South Local Government Areas pursuant to section 9 of the Constitution.

    “Proposal for the change of name from Afikpo South Local Government Area to Edda Local Government Area

    Senator Gbenga Ashafa noted that the population of Lagos is about 10 per cent of the population of the country.

    He said, “All of us have a pair in Lagos. The image of Lagos is the image of the country. I appeal that the issue of granting Lagos a special status should revisited.”

    The lawmaker opposed autonomy for local government.

    Senators Mohammed Magoro, (Kebbi South), Adamu Gumba (Bauchi South)

    Gyang Pwajok (Plateau North), Ibrahim Gobir (Sokoto), Victor Lar (Plateau South) Abdul Mumuni Hassan. (Jigawa) George Thompson Sekibo (Rivers) Ugboji (Ebonyi), Solomon Ewuga (Nasarawa North) and Robert Ajayi Borofice opposed six year single tenure.

    Contribution by Senators continues today while actual clause by clause voting will be held tomorrow.

  • Senators oppose single term for president, governors

    Senators oppose single term for president, governors

    The stage appears set for the Senate to kill the recommendation of a six- year single tenure for President and Governors made by its committee on Constitution review.

    Out of 20 Senators that spoke Tuesday on the recommendations of the Senate Committee on the review of the 1999 Constitution, none supported the recommendation for six year single tenure for the president and governors.

    The committee headed by the Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, recommended six year single tenure for President and governors.

    The Committee had said, “Considering the financial expenses often associated with re-election and to ensure that executive heads are freed from the distractions to be able to concentrate on public policy issues, a provision for a single term of six (6)) years for President and Governors is made in sections 135 and 180 respectively.”

    But majority of Senators who contributed to the debate on the issue described the recommendation as an invitation to chaos and an attempt to institutionalize corruption.

    Senator Isah Galaudu (Kebbi North) in his contribution said the committee failed to provide adequate justification for six year single term.

    Galaudu described the recommendation as retrogressive, saying it would open a floodgate to loot the treasury by those who find themselves as president and governors.

    He also opposed the decentralization of prisons, arguing that the prison Service should remain in the Exclusive List.

    Senator Clever Ikisikpo (Bayelsa East) opposed removal of the immunity clause.

    He said that removal of immunity clause will be a major source of distractions for the president and governors.

    On six year single term, he described it as undemocratic.

     

  • Senate in rowdy session over State of the Nation Address Bill

    Senate in rowdy session over State of the Nation Address Bill

    Senate President David Mark intervened yesterday to stop a breakdown of law and order in the Senate.

    The upper chamber was thrown into confusion for over 35 minutes due to sharp disagreement over the consideration of the State of the Nation Address Bill 2013.

    Mark laboured to calm frayed nerves as two senators attempted to go for each other’s jugular.

    Senator Kabir Garba Marafa (Zamfara Central) and Senator Paulinus Igwe Nwagu (Ebonyi Central) attempted to throw punches at each other. Other senators quickly stopped them.

    As Marafa attempted to pull off his agbada in preparation for a brawl, other senators moved swiftly to stop him from the unparliamentary action.

    Nwagu was murmuring as he walked away.

    Tempers continued to rise as senators formed groups to decide what to do with the amendments suggested by President Goodluck Jonathan on the controversial bill.

    Mark, who was apparently taken aback, said: “We will solve all the problems by talking, not by boxing.

    “In any case, for the first time in 14 years, I have seen an effort for people to pull out boxing gloves. That is not necessary, we must never do it. We are distinguished Senators and we are statesmen. We can do all the talking but we should never resort to boxing.

    “I want to appeal once more that we should suspend the debate on this bill for today, if for nothing else because of the way tempers have risen. We are all on the same wave length and we will do what is best for this country. We don’t need to fight to do it.

    “I think on this subject matter we are all on the same wave length.

    “Please, I want to appeal to you that we suspend the debate on the subject.”

    President Jonathan returned the State of the Nation Address Bill 2013 passed by the National Assembly and requested that some amendments be made on the bill to enable him assent to it.

    Jonathan described certain provisions of the bill as inconsistent with the doctrine of separation of powers and the letter and spirit of the Constitution.

    Many senators wanted the Senate to override the Presidential objections, but others said the upper chamber had no such power since the letter the President sent to the National Assembly did not say that he withheld assent to the bill.

    Senator Abdul Ningi (Bauchi Central) traced the origin of the bill and posited that contrary to the President’s position, the National Assembly has never passed a bill that is inconsistent with the constitution.

    He said the State of the Nation Address Bill 2013 did not in any way contradict the Constitution.

    Ningi added that Bill was an attempt to deepen democracy and make leaders responsible and accountable.

    He said: “The letter from Mr. President has no basis; it has no merit. It should be returned to him for assent or to reject it and when he rejects it we will override the President, for the first time.”

    Deputy Senate President Ike Ekweremadu, said the Senate had never had the situation where the President returned a bill passed by the National Assembly with a comment.

    In his view, there are three options for the President when a bill is passed by the two chambers. One option is for the President to accept and assent to the bill; the second is for the President to return it and request for amendment. The third option is for the President to withhold assent and return the bill.

    He suggested that the bill should be referred to the conference committee of the two chambers to advice whether to accept the requests of the President or to override the President.

    Senator Smart Adeyemi (Kogi West) said the President is not against the spirit of the bill.

    Adeyemi noted that if the President proposed amendments, it is left for the Senate to either consider the proposals or override the President.

    He added that Jonathan simply articulated challenges to his office.

    “As democrats, we should consider what the President sent to us,” Adeyemi said.

    To Senator Heineken Lokpobiri, the President is not against the bill; he merely pointed out salient constitutional issues the Senate should consider.

    He noted that the law will be null and void if certain provisions of the bill are inconsistent with the constitution.

    Mark cautioned that since what the Senate wanted to do is important, efforts must be made to get it right.

    Senator Ahmed Lawan said the bill aimed to give the President opportunity to talk to the people.

    He noted that Jonathan had shown that he was not interested in the bill.

    The only option open to the Senate, he said, is to override the President.

    Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe said that the question before the Senate was to answer whether the bill is inconsistent with Section 67 of the Constitution.

    Abaribe recalled that the President recently gave a mid-term address.

    He asked: “What is the difference between what the bill is asking and the mid-term address given by Mr. President?”

    He noted that Jonathan could as well have called the mid-term address State of the Nation Address.

    Abaribe said that there was a window for the Senate to consider what the President proposed.

    But Senator Ganiyu Solomon said the President was calling to question the judgement of 469 members of the National Assembly.

    Senator Ita Enang quoted several Sections of the Constitution to support his position that the Senate should not accede to any amendment proposed by the President.

    Enang said that the option left for the President was either to assent or withhold assent.

    Senator Gbenga Ashafa said that the President was only making excuses on a bill that requires him to address the people.

    He said the Senate should override the President.

    Senator Olufemi Lanlehin (Oyo South) noted that the position the Senate found itself is well provided for by the Constitution.

    Lanlehin quoted Section 58(4)(5) of the Constitution and insisted that it was clear that the President could only assent to a bill or withhold assent.

    Mark recalled the suggestion by Enang that the Senate should approach the Supreme Court for interpretation and asked: “How do we go about it?”

    With no end in sight to the debate, Ekweremadu moved that it should be adjourned to consult with the House of Representatives on the way forward.

    The motion did not go down well with most members.

    When Mark put the question on the motion, it was not clear which side – those who wanted the matter concluded yesterday and those who wanted the debate adjourned – carried the day.

    Intense lobbying ensued on the floor of the Senate.

    After the adjournment of plenary, the Chairman, Senate Committee on Information, Media and Public Affairs, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe, rushed to the press centre to explain what happened between Marafa and Nwagu.

    Abaribe said that the altercation between the two lawmakers had nothing to do with the State of the Nation Address Bill

  • Senate intervenes as ASUU strike paralyses varsities

    Senate intervenes as ASUU strike paralyses varsities

    THE Senate yesterday intervened in the dispute between the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) and the Federal Government over conditions of service.

    A source said the Minister of Education, Prof. Rukayyatu Rufa’i and her Labour counterpart, Emeka Wogu, met with the Senate Committee on Education yesterday over the strike.

    It was learnt that the meeting resolved to set up a task force to work out the modalities for addressing the issues at stake.

    The source added that the resuscitation of Visitation Panels and appointment of governing boards of polytechnics featured at the meeting.

    The implementation of Consolidated Tertiary Salary Structure (CONTISS) was also said to have been discussed.

    The Chairman, Senate Committee on Education, Uche Chukwumerije, reportedly expressed concerns about unending strikes in tertiary institutions.

    The source said Prof Rufa’i briefed the Senate on how ASUU declared its indefinite strike to compel the Federal Government to implement the agreement reached with the union in October 2009.

    Academic activities were paralysed yesterday in most universities as ASUU began its strike.

     

    Academic activities were grounded yesterday at the University of Ibadan (UI).

    Most students, who were on campus for early morning lectures, were surprised that none of their lecturers showed up.

    Although all lecture rooms were open, but no academic activities took place in any of them.

    The disappointed students retired to their residential halls after waiting in vain for lectures.

    When our reporter visited the campus yesterday, nothing was happening there.

    Addressing reporters yesterday, ASUU’s National Treasurer Dr Ademola Aremu said the strike order was fully complied with at UI.

    The university community, he said, was carried along in the effort to reposition the nation’s education sector from collapse.

    According to him, the UI Vice Chancellor was aware of the strike.

    The branch’s ASUU Secretary, Dr Ayodeji Omole said: “We had thought that with someone like Dr Goodluck Jonathan, education would be better off. But we are worse off.”

    A letter by Dr Omole to the Vice Chancellor, reads: “In view of the unsatisfactory state of the implementation of the 2009 agreement, the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), after exhaustive deliberations, asked various branches to resume the suspended indefinite strike from July 1. You are hereby duly informed that all our members in the University of Ibadan have, effective from today, July 1, complied accordingly and withdrawn from all academic activities, including teaching, supervision and all statutory and ad-hoc meetings.”

    The strike paralysed activities at the three universities in Rivers State.

    The lecturers at the University of Port Harcourt (UNIPORT), the Rivers State University of Science and Technology (RSUST), Port Harcourt, and the Ignatius Ajuru (formerly Rivers State) University of Education, Port Harcourt, participated in the action.

    Some of the lecturers, who spoke in confidence, told The Nation that the Federal Government should be blamed for the strike.

    They vowed not to return to work until their demands, stipulated in the 2009 agreement, were met.

    The strike, to the students and lecturers of the RSUST, was a continuation of the past action.

    They noted that ASUU members at the university had been on strike since August 13, last year, to protest the reappointment of Prof. Barineme Fakae as the Vice-Chancellor.

    When ASUU Chairman at UNIPORT, Prof. Antonia Okerengwo, was contacted at 5.24 pm for an assessment of the compliance with the strike at the federal university, his MTN line kept ringing without an answer.

    Lecturers of the University of Jos (UNIJOS) yesterday abandoned classes in compliance with the ASUU strike.

    At an emergency meeting of the university’s ASUU chapter at its secretariat, members were said to have reviewed the situation and aligned with the decision of its national body.