The House of Representatives on Monday rejected multiple bills seeking to amend the 1999 Constitution
The House of Representatives on Monday rejected multiple bills seeking to amend the 1999 Constitution, including one aimed at stripping the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) of its powers to register and regulate political parties. The bill, co-sponsored by Speaker Abbas Tajudeen and Francis Waive, proposed transferring those powers to the Office of the Registrar-General of Political Parties.
Also rejected was a bill by Deputy Speaker Benjamin Kalu to rotate the offices of president and vice president among Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones.
Other failed bills included proposals to establish independent State Auditors-General for Local Governments, increase the number of Federal High Court judges, expand the court’s jurisdiction, and empower the National Judicial Council (NJC) to set judiciary salaries.
A bill to create Ughelli East Local Government Area in Delta State also failed.
Following the rejections, Committee Chairman Sani Bala appealed for reconsideration, but Deputy Minority Leader Ali Jesse cited Order 9, Rule 6. Speaker Abbas ruled the motion must be reintroduced as a substantive notice.