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The Senate and House of Representatives, yesterday, separately, refused to pass a bill designed to include Value Added Tax, VAT, on the Exclusive Legislative List. Recall that the Federal Government had following a favourable court judgment obtained by Rivers State, sought to limit VAT to the Exclusive List.
They separately also shut down the provision for immunity and life pension for principal officers of the National Assembly.
The Senate voted on the report of the Constitution Review Committee on the 5th Alteration Billโs, 2022 in its move to restructure Nigeria as 68 Bills were listed to be voted on.
The House of Reps members bared their minds in the voting exercise to decide 68 clauses listed by the Joint Special Ad-hoc Committee of the House on the 1999 constitutional review.
The Senate which abrogated the State/Local Government Joint Account, provided for special Account into which shall be paid all allocations due to local governments from the Federation Account.
The Upper Chamber has also passed a Bill to establish Local Government as a tier of government and guarantee their democratic existence and tenure, just as it passed a Bill to provide for the financial independence of state House of Assembly and Judiciary.
The Senate also killed a bill that is designed to provide for special seat for women in the National and State House of Assembly; and for Related Matters.โ
During the voting on the Bill on VAT by the Senate, which is number 34, 95 Senators registered, yes voted to kill it was 41, No was 44, abstain stood at 0 and total 85.
Also rejected were bills for the removal of Transitional Law-making Powers of the Executive; even as they turned down life pension for President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan, Speaker, Femi Gbajabiamila and others even as they rejected the tempting offer of immunity for serving presiding officer, and also rejected a bill to provide for Diaspora voting; to grant Mayoralty Status for the FCT; and appointment of Minister from the FCT.
The Senate also rejected a bill to Provide for the termination of tenure of certain Elected officials on Account of change of political party; and for Related Matters.
The Senate also moved the Railway from the Exclusive Legislative List to Concurrent Legislative List, even as a Bill on devolution of powers to move Airports from Exclusive Legislative List to the Concurrent Legislative List and for Related Matters was passed.
Meanwhile, the Senate failed to pass a Bill to provide for the procedure for Overriding Executive Veto in Respect of Money Bill, just as it passed a bill to Abrogate the State Joint Local Government Account and Provide for special Account into which shall be paid all Allocations due to Local Government Councils from the Federation Account and from the Government of the State.
The Senate has also passed a bill to empower the National Assembly and State Assemblies to summon the President and State Governors to answer questions bothering on security or any other issues on which the National and State Houses of Assembly have powers to make laws.
It also passed a bill to make it an offence, and to provide for the possible conviction of any person who refuses to honour the summons of the National Assembly or any of its committee.
President of the Senate, Senator Ahmad Lawan, who came up with the rules, said that 68 documents in all harmonized by both chambers of the National Assembly will be considered for voting.
A Bill to Change the Name Barikin Ladi Local Government Area; and for Related Matters failed to sail through, just as it passed a Bill to Correct the Name of Correct name Atigbo Local Government Area; and for Related Matters and a Bill to Correct the Name of Obia/Akpor Local Government Area.
The proposed bill for an Act as submitted by DSP Ovie Omo-Agege and DS Wase Idris to both the red and green chambers of the National Assembly, Federal Republic of Nigeria dated 22nd February 2022.
At the Reps sitting, immunity clause for presiding officers failed to fly.
Value Added Tax failed to make exclusive list
The House also refused to make VAT an exclusive concern of the Federal Government.
The result showed that the members voted 200 against the clause while 91 voted yea. No one abstained.
The bill to separate the office of Attorney General of the Federation, AGF, from the Minister of Justice to make both office two henceforth also got the approval of the House.
It will be recalled that prior to now, a lone person functions as both the AGF and the Minister.
The House said separating them would give room for professionalism and speedy dispensation of justice.
For the first time in the political history of Nigeria, there is now a constitutional provision for independent candidacy.
The import of this is that private citizens can decide to run for political office without having to belong to any political party.
The voting pattern indicated that 269 voted for while 28 voted against and thre persons abstained.
The Reps okayed autonomy for State Legislature, Judiciary.
The clamour for the autonomy of State Legislature and the Judiciary also received a constitutional passage.
The clause got 286 votes in favour as against a lone vote. No one abstained from the voting.
Reps rejected power to override President on his veto to constitution review, money bills
Reject diaspora voting
The lawmakers also rejected a bill seeking to make Nigerians resident abroad to participate in the election process by giving them voting rights.
The House also voted to abrogate the joint account system between the local government and the State just as it rectified the government as the third tier in the hierarchy of governments.
Bill to empower parliament to summon President and others passed.
The House also voted in favour of a bill seeking to confer on the parliament the powers to summon persons to appear before it for explanation on public issues.
The members also voted to give a timeline for the presentation of budget and also approved 30 days for the submission of names for ministerial nominees.
Bills to give extra seats for women in parliaments, political parties refuse to fly .
The House also refused to give nod to bills seeking to give exclusive extra seats for women in the National Assembly and State Houses of Assembly; positions in the political parties.
Earlier before the House commenced voting, the House ushered in Mrs. Dolapo, the wife of the Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo to observe the plenary session.
But hardly had the Speaker, Femi Gbajabiamila called the House Leader, Ado Doguwa to move the motion for her to be admitted that the shouts of โnayโ greeted the chamber.
Amidst the nay and yes, the speaker asked Beni Lar to second the motion.
The 68 bills seek to further amend the 1999 Constitution (5th alteration) are: To Abrogate the State Joint Local Government Account and Provide for special Account into which shall be paid all Allocations due to Local Government Councils from the Federation Account and from the Government of the State; and for Related Matters. * To establish Local Government as a Tier of Government and Guarantee their Democratic Existence, Tenure; and for Related Matters.
- To Change the name Afikpo North and Afikpo South Local Government Areas; and for Related Matters.
- To Change the name of Kunchi Local Government Area; and for Related Matters.โ
- To Change the Names of Egbado North and Egbado South Local Government Areas; and for Related Matters.โ
To Change the Name Barikin Ladi Local Government Area; and for Related Matters.
*To Correct the Name of Correct name Atigbo Local Government Area; and for Related Matters.
*To Correct the Name of Obia/Akpor Local Government Area; and for Related Matters.
- To Provide for the Financial Independence of State House of Assembly and State Judiciary; and for Related Matters.
*To compel personโs to obey or comply with Legislative Summons; and for Related Matters.โ
*To regulate the first Session and Inuguration of Members-Elect of the National and State Houses of Assembly; and for Related Matters.
*To Instutionlalize Legislative Bureaucracy in the Constitution; and for Related Matters.โ
*To provide for the producure for passing a Constitution Alteration Bill where President withhold Assent; and for Related Matters.
*To provide the procedure for Overriding Executive Veto in Respect of Money Bill; and for Related Matters.
*To provide for the procedure of Removing Presiding officers of the Legislature; and for Related Matters.
*To provide pension for presiding officers of the National Assembly; and for Related Matters.
*To Establish the Federal Revenue Court and the Revenue Court of a State; and for Related Matters.
*To further Strengthen the Judiciary for Timely Dispensation of Justice; and for Related Matters.
*To provide the timelines within which civil and criminal cases are heard and determined at Trial and Appellate Courts in order to Eliminate unnecessary delay in Justice Administration and Delivery; and for Related Matters.
*To ensure Uniformity in the Retirement Age and pension Rights of Judicial Officers of Superior Courts of Records; and for Related Matters.
*To delete the Reference to the provisions of the Criminal Code, Penal Code, Criminal Procedure Code or Evidence Act; and for Related Matters.
*To Exclude the Period Intervening Events in the Computation of Time for Determining Pre- election Petitions, Election Petitions and Appeals therefrom; and for Related Matters.
*To allow Court or Tribunal Proceedings to be Conducted remotely, Virtually, Online or through any Media Platform or Technological Innovation; and for Related Matters.
*To Expand the Interpretation of Judicial Office to include Courts to Tribunals created by an Act of the National Assembly or a State House of Assembly; and for Related Matters.
*To Provide for the Post call qualification of the Secretary to the National Judicial Council; and for Related Matters.
*To Permit Public Servants to engage in Healthcare Education, Production and Services beyond Farming;. and for Related Matters.
*To Impose the requirement of fair hearing in the process of Recommendation of Removal of Judicial Officers by the State Judicial Service Commission; and for Related Matters.
*To include judges of the National Industrial Court in the Composition of Election Tribunal; and for Related Matters.
*To move Airports from Exclusive Legislative List to the Concurrent Legislative List; and for Related Matters.
*To move fingerprints, identification and criminal records from the Exclusive Legislative List to the Concurrent Legislative List; and for Related Matters.
*To delete prisons in the Exclusive Legislative List and Redesignate it as Correctional Service in the Concurrent Legislative List; and for Related Matters.
*To move Railway from the Exclusive Legislative List to Concurrent Legislative List ; and for Related Matters.
*To allow States Generate, Transmit and Distribute Electricity in Area covered by the National Grid; and for Related Matters.
*To include Value Added Tax on the Exclusive Legislative List ; and for Related Matters.
*To provide for special seat for women in the National and State House of Assembly; and for Related Matters.
- To Expand the Scope of Citizenship by Registration; and for Related Matters.
- To Provide for Affirmative Action for Women in Political Party Administration; and for Related Matters.
*To provide Criteria for Qualification to become an Indigene of a State in Nigeria; and for Related Matters.
*To empower the Revenue Mobilization and Fiscal Commission to Enforce Compliance with Remittance of Accruals into and Disturbsement of Revenue from the Federation Account and Streamline in the Procedure for Reviewing the Revenue Allocation Formula; and for Related Matters.
*To Enhance the Independence of Certain Bodies; and for Related Matters.
*To Remove Transitional Lawmaking Powers from the Executive Arms of Government; and for Related Matters.
*To Expand Immunity to the Legislative and Judicial Arms of Government; and for Related Matters.
*To specify the time within which the Executive shall present to the National Assembly any Treaty between the Federation and any other Country for Enhancement: and for Related Matters.
*To specify the period within which the President or the Governor of State shall present the Appropriation Bill before the National Assembly or State House of Assembly; and for Related Matters.
*To Require the President or Governorโs to submit the Names of persons Nominated as Ministers or Commissionerโs within Thirty days of taking the Oath of Office for Confirmation by the Senate or State House of Assembly; and for Related Matters.
*To include Presiding Officers of the National Assembly in the Membership of the National Security Council; and for Related Matters.
*To Establish State Security Council; and for Related Matters.
*To Empower the National Assembly and State House of Assembly Powers 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 Assembly have the Power to make Law; and for Related Matters.
*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 Appropriation Act from six months to three months; and related Matters.
*To Replace the Consolidated Revenue Fund of the Federation with Consolidated Revenue Fund of the Federal Government; and for Related Matters.
*To Establish the Office of the Accountant -General of the Federation; and for Related Matters.
*To specify the Timeframe for the conduct of Population Census; and for Related mattersโ.
*To Establish the office of the Attorney -: General of the Federation and of the State Separate from the office of the Minister of Justice or Commissionerโs for justice of the state in order to make the Offices Attorney โ General Independent and Insulated from Partianship; and for Related Matters.
*To provide for the State of the Nation and State Address by the President and Governor; and for Related Matters.
*To Include Former Heads of the National Assembly in the council of state; and for Related Matters.
*To Provide for the Termination of Tenure of certain Elected officials on Account of change of political party; and for Related Matters.
*To enhance existing provisions on the formation of political parties; and for Related Matters.
*To provide for independent candidacy in Presidential, Governorship, National Assembly, State Houses of Assembly and Local Government Council Elections; and for Related Matters.
*To provide for Diaspora Voting; and for Related Matters.
*To provide for the Office of the Mayor for the Federal Capital Territory Administration Abuja; and for Related Matters.
*To provide for Appointment of a Minister from the FCT; and for Related Matters.
*To correct the Error in the definition of the Boundary of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja; and for Related Matters.
*To make free, Compulsory and Basic Education a Fundamental Right of all Citizens under Chapter IV of the Constitution; and for Related Matters.
*To further define Acts that Constitute Torture, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment; and for Related Matters.
*To Require the Government to Direct itโs Policy towards ensuring Rights to Food and Food Security in Nigeria; and for Related Matters.
*To Reflect the Establishment and Core Functions of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defense Corps ; and for Related Matters.
*To Establish the National and State Councils of Traditional Rulers to advice the President and Governors on Matters Related to Customs, Security and Public Order; and for Related Matters.
*To provide Reserved Quota for Women; and for Related Matters.
