A BILL seeking to create the Office of the Prime Minister as the head of government and the Office of the President as head of state has passed a second reading at the House of Representatives.
The bill proposed to alter the provisions of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 as amended, to provide a framework for the mode of election to the two offices.
The bill is among the 32 constitutional amendment bills that scaled second reading in the House of Representatives on Thursday, March 27.
Also among the bills is a bill for an Act to alter the provisions of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 as amended, to provide for specific seats for women in the National Assembly and state houses of assembly.
Another bill proposes to amend Nigeria’s 1999 Constitution to shorten the time for resolving pre-election disputes, establish pre-election tribunals, and regulate the suspension of National Assembly members.
A bill for an Act to alter the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999, to review the requirements that qualify persons to be elected as president and vice-president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, governors and deputy governors also passed a second reading at Thursday’s session.
Three other bills that seek to alter Nigeria’s Constitution and review the Federal Capital Territory’s status in presidential elections and create two new states, Wan and Gobir, also passed second reading.
This brings the total number of Constitution Amendment Bills to 113.
The ICIR reported that the House reversed its decision on a bill that sought to strip the vice president, governors, and deputy governors of immunity from prosecution.
This change followed a motion moved by the Majority Leader, Julius Ihonvbere, during Thursday’s plenary.
The bill had passed its second reading on Wednesday but was revisited and rescinded the next day.
The House also rescinded its decision to pass for a second reading the bill to amend the Constitution to review the death penalty for certain categories of offences.
The Deputy Speaker, Benjamin Kalu, who presided over the plenary, said the House’s decision to pass the bills for second reading became necessary given the need to subject them to further debate.
Kalu said the bills would be returned to the House for debate by members, given the sensitive nature of the issues involved.
A reporter with the ICIR
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