The Lagos State House of Assembly has rejected six sections of the 44 bills received from the National Assembly on the fifth amendment of the 1999 Nigerian constitution.
The sections are (1), (2), (26), (27), (52) and (66) of the bill.
Part of the section rejected by the Lagos Assembly is the one which seeks to insert independent candidates into the constitution.
The lawmakers rejected the section through a voice vote after it was read by the Speaker.
The lawmakers also during the plenary session directed Olalekan Onafeko, the clerk of the House to transmit the resolution of the Assembly on the Fifth Alteration Bill 2022 (1999 Constitution Amendment) to the National Assembly.
The Clerk of the National Assembly, Amos Ojo, on March 31, transmitted the 44 passed constitution alteration bills to the 36 state assemblies for their concurrence.
Speaking with journalists after the plenary session, the Chairman, House Committee on Information, Strategy and Security, Setonji David (Badagry 2), said the house has sent the input of the Lagos Assembly on the 44 alteration bills, which included the reasons for the positions of the House had taken in respect of the bills.
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“The Lagos State House of Assembly had put into consideration its input on the 1999 constitution of the federal republic of Nigeria (as amended) (Fifth Alteration) Bill, 2022.
“Pursuant to Section 9(2) of 1999 constitution of the federal republic of Nigeria as amended considers fifth alteration bills to enable us forward our approval by resolution on the 1999 constitution to the Clerk of the House.
“At the end of the consideration, the Lagos State House of Assembly rejected sections (1), (2), (26), (27), (52), (66) of the 44 bills received by the assembly,” he said.
Also, the Majority Leader, Sanai Agunbiade, explained that the segments of the bills they approved were a product of the fact that in respect of the alteration, lawmakers had been exposed to workshops and conferences.
Agunbiade said the workshops were to strengthen their understanding which facilitated the quick passage with a bit of the fewer areas they cited.
Meanwhile, the Speaker of the House, Mudashiru Obasa, stated that there have always been alterations and amendments to the constitution since its commencement in 1999, stressing that most of the alterations have failed to meet the yearnings and needs of the people.
According to Obasa, “The current Constitution depicts without consideration and interest of the people, I believe there should be more in terms of economic progress and political interest in the State.
“The current 9th Assembly in the National Assembly has done much better than the previous Assembly by getting involved in the evolution of power to the component unit, that is, State, where issues are considered and power is given to the State to also exercise an influence upon.”
” The transmitted alteration from the National Assembly has 44 alterations and it is left for us to play our role as required by the 1999 Constitution as amended. While we wait on other Houses of Assembly to follow suit in order to achieve the purpose of this alteration”.
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