The Senate has retained immunity for governors and president, in a
move contrary to the position of the House of Representatives as the
process leading to the amendment of the 1999 constitution continues.
The upper house ratified 23 new amendments to the 1999 Constitution,
approving autonomy for local governments, by amending Section 7 of the constitution.
The Senate also approved independent candidacy for future elections,
in its amendment of sections 65 and 106 of the 1999 Constitution.
The Senate also conferred immunity to legislators in respect of words
they speak or write in exercise of their legislative duties, amending
Section 4 of the constitution.
Section 67 was also amended by the lawmakers, making it mandatory for
the president to deliver a “state of the nation address” to a joint
session of the National Assembly once a year, while also empowering the
Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to de-register
political parties after failing to meet certain conditions: breach of
registration requirements and failure to win any of the presidential,
governorship, local government chairmanship elections or seats in either
the state of National Assembly.
The amendment also confers exclusive jurisdiction on the Federal High Court for trial of election offences.
The senators ratified that a court or tribunal shall not stay any
proceedings on account of any interlocutory appeal; and that where a
“force majeure” occurs, the period shall not be counted in the
computation of the 180 days for the purpose of determining election
petitions.
The new amendments will, thereafter, be forwarded to state houses of
assemblies, where each item would require the concurrence of two thirds
of the 36 state assemblies.
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