From Abba Dukawa, Abuja
The House of Representatives, has, rejected a bill seeking to amend the 1999 Constitution to strip the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, of its powers to register and regulate political parties.
The proposal is aimed at transferring the powers to the Office of the Registrar-General of Political Parties.
The bill, co-sponsored by Speaker of the House, Abbas Tajudeen, and Francis Waive, was presented for second reading but was voted down after a voice vote conducted by the deputy speaker, Benjamin Kalu, who presided over plenary.
The House also rejected another constitution amendment bill, sponsored by Deputy Speaker, Benjamin Kalu, seeking to establish the principle of rotation for the offices of the president and vice president among Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones— North-Central, North-East, North-West, South-East, South-South, and South-West.
Other rejected bills included one to alter the constitution to provide for the establishment, independence and functions of the Offices of State Auditors-General for Local Governments and the Federal Capital Territory Area Councils.
The bill, sponsored by Julius Ihonvbere, seeks to strengthen fiscal oversight, promote accountability and enhance good governance at the grassroots level.
Another bill sponsored by Ihonvbere, proposing to increase the number of judges in the Federal High Court to not fewer than 100 or such other number as prescribed by an Act of the National Assembly, was also rejected.
The bill proposed to expand the jurisdiction of the Federal High Court to include admiralty matters, shipping and navigation on the River Niger, River Benue and their tributaries, all federal ports, and carriage by sea.
A bill seeking to empower the National Judicial Council, NJC, in collaboration with the National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission, to fix and review the salaries, allowances and other emoluments of judicial officers and judiciary staff was also rejected. The bill was sponsored also by Ihonvbere
Similarly, a bill sponsored by Francis Waive, proposing the creation of Ughelli East Local Government Area in Delta State didn’t also make it.
While some lawmakers supported the bills, others opposed them. However, when the question was put to a voice vote, the majority voted against the bills.
Following the rejection, Chairman of the House Committee on Rules and Business appealed to the speaker to reconsider the decision, suggesting that the bills be addressed individually, rather than as a group.
But Deputy Minority Leader, Ali Jesse, raised a point of order citing Order 9, Rule 6, which requires that any decision to rescind a vote must be brought forward as a substantive motion on notice.
The speaker concurred and directed the committee on rules and business to list the motion for re-presentation on the order paper for the next legislative day