The House of Representatives is considering a bill to amend the 1999 Constitution to provide a review of the processes for suspending federal lawmakers.
According to a member of the House of Representatives, Mansur Soro, the Senate Standing Rules are not superior to the 1999 constitution.
Soro, a member of the Peoples Democratic Party representing Darazo/Gnajuwa Federal Constituency, Bauchi State, is the sponsor of a bill for an Act to alter the 1999 constitution to “Regulate the process of suspending a member of the National Assembly from legislative duties and for a related matter,” currently before the Committee on Constitution Review.
A copy of the bill, obtained by Sunday PUNCH,showed that the proposed legislation seeks an alternation of Section 60 of the Constitution with the introduction of sub-section 2.
Section 60 of the Principal Act is altered to introduce a new sub-section 2 which shall read thus, “Nothing in this section shall be construed as authorising the Senate or the House of Representatives to suspend its member(s) except through a recommendation by its committee responsible for ethics and privileges and approved by signatures of two-fourth majority of the members of that House.”
Speaking with our correspondent, the federal lawmaker said, “This bill seeks to alter the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 to regulate the process of suspending a member of the National Assembly.
“This is to mitigate abuse of regulations and procedures in suspending a duly elected member of the National Assembly, to ensure that the representation and voice of all senatorial districts and federal constituencies are sustained in both houses of the National Assembly.”
Asked what the Red Chamber should do in the light of the controversy generated by the Natasha/Akpabio feud, the Bauchi lawmaker said, “The Senate should obey the court, recall Senator Natasha and allow the court to decide the matter. The Constitution created the office. Rules can’t take precedence over a constitutional provision, adding that, “The people of Kogi Central Senatorial District should not be punished for the fight of two senators. Their voice and representation at the senate chamber should be restored.”
In light of the tension generated by the development, Soro called for a review of the process of the appointment of the chairman and members of the Ethics and Privileges Committee in both chambers of the National Assembly, saying, “You don’t expect the chairmen to do much against the person who appointed them.”(Punch)
