Senators during plenary. Photo:Archive/Radio Nigeria
The Senate has directed the Clerk to the National Assembly (CNA) to transmit a constitution alteration bill No. 58 to President Muhammadu Buhari for assent in line with the provisions of the Authentication Act.
The bill seeks to provide for independent candidacy in presidential, governorship, national and state assemblies and local government council elections.
The Deputy Senate President, Ovie Omo-Agege, during plenary on Tuesday, informed his colleagues that Gombe State House of Assembly has approved the Constitution Alteration Bill Nos. 46 and 58 and forwarded its resolution to the National Assembly.
The Clerk was also directed to transmit to the President, constitution amendment bill No. 46, which seeks to include the presiding officers of the National Assembly in the membership of the National Security Council.
The two proposals were part of the constitution alteration bills transmitted to State Houses of Assembly for concurrence last year.
Senator Omo-Agege said with the approval of the Gombe assembly, the bills on the independent candidacy and inclusion of National Assembly presiding officers in the National Security Council membership have met the provisions of Section 9(2) of the Constitution for passage.
The State Assemblies yet to forward their resolutions on the constitution amendment bills are Jigawa, Kebbi, Kwara, Plateau and Taraba States.
Also at plenary, the Senate received and considered the report of the Niger Delta Committee on the 2021/2023 budget of the ministry.
This was sequel to the presentation of the report by the Chairman of the committee, Senator Amos Bulus Representing Gombe South.
Reporting by Amaka Ene; editing by Annabel Nwachukwu