July 15, 2022

The Lagos State House of Assembly has directed the Clerk, Mr. Olalekan Onafeko to transmit the resolution of the assembly on the Fifth Alteration Bill 2022 (1999 Constitution Amendment) to the National Assembly.

The Chairman, House of Assembly Committee on Information, Mr. Setonji David made this known to the News Agency of Nigeria in Lagos on Friday.

The Clerk of the National Assembly, Mr. Amos Ojo, on March 31, transmitted the 44 passed Constitution alteration bills to the 36 state assemblies for their concurrence.

David 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.

“The Lagos State House of Assembly on Thursday during plenary 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.

The Majority Leader, Mr. Sanai Agunbiade explained that the segments of the bills they approved was a product of the fact that in respect of the alteration, lawmakers had been exposed to workshops and conferences.

Agunbiade said the workshops was to strengthen them the understanding which facilitated the quick passage with a bit of the less areas they cited.

The National Assembly on March 1, voted on the 68 amendments recommended by the Joint Senate and House of Representatives’ Special Ad Hoc Committee on the Review of the 1999 Constitution.

To amend a clause in the Constitution, two-third or four-fifth majority of each of the Senate and the House has to approve the amendment after which it will be transmitted to the state Houses of Assembly, where two-third or 24 of the 36 of them have to concur.

The Abia House of Assembly had on June 8, became the first State Assembly in Nigeria to pass the Alteration of the 1999 constitution Amendment Bill into law leading to a full financial and administrative autonomy for State Legislature, Judiciary and Local Government.
(NAN)