House Of Reps Remove Immunity for President and Governors, Plus Other Details
The House of Representatives Wednesday passed 85 new clauses to the
1999 Constitution (as amended), among which was the rejection of
immunity for the President and state governors facing criminal charges.
By the new provision on immunity, the President, Vice-President, governors and their deputies will vacate office immediately, if convicted of any criminal offence...
A total of 339 out of the 360 members of the House voted on Wednesday to pass the clauses. Voting and collation of results ended at about 10.43pm.
On immunity, 306 members voted to remove it, 17 opposed it, while 14 abstained.
The House retained four years as the tenure of office of elected officials.
Lawmakers also scrapped State Independent Electoral Commissions and transferred the responsibility of conducting council polls to the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC.
Independent candidacy was also endorsed by the House, meaning that in future, persons who do not belong to any political party, can stand for elections as individuals. A total of 313 lawmakers endorsed the provision, while eight opposed it. Twelve others abstained.
Like the Senate, the House retained the controversial proposal on life pension for the President, Vice-President, Senate President, Speaker of the House of Representatives and Deputy Speaker. A total of 284 lawmakers endorsed the provision, with only 18 opposing it. Thirty-six others abstained.
Other highlights included the transfer of health, housing, electricity and railways from the Exclusive Legislative List to the Concurrent List. This implies that states can now make laws on these issues.
However, the issue of minimum wage and labour matters were retained in the Exclusive List.
By the new provision on immunity, the President, Vice-President, governors and their deputies will vacate office immediately, if convicted of any criminal offence...
A total of 339 out of the 360 members of the House voted on Wednesday to pass the clauses. Voting and collation of results ended at about 10.43pm.
On immunity, 306 members voted to remove it, 17 opposed it, while 14 abstained.
The House retained four years as the tenure of office of elected officials.
Similarly, 293 lawmakers voted to endorse autonomy for local
governments, as against 39 who opposed it. Seven others abstained. This
development meant that the House took a different position on the issue,
compared to the Senate, which rejected autonomy for the councils.
Lawmakers also scrapped State Independent Electoral Commissions and transferred the responsibility of conducting council polls to the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC.
Independent candidacy was also endorsed by the House, meaning that in future, persons who do not belong to any political party, can stand for elections as individuals. A total of 313 lawmakers endorsed the provision, while eight opposed it. Twelve others abstained.
Like the Senate, the House retained the controversial proposal on life pension for the President, Vice-President, Senate President, Speaker of the House of Representatives and Deputy Speaker. A total of 284 lawmakers endorsed the provision, with only 18 opposing it. Thirty-six others abstained.
Other highlights included the transfer of health, housing, electricity and railways from the Exclusive Legislative List to the Concurrent List. This implies that states can now make laws on these issues.
However, the issue of minimum wage and labour matters were retained in the Exclusive List.
