In an unprecedented move, the House of Representatives Tuesday passed a bill to conduct general election for the office of the President, Governors, National Assembly, State Houses of Assembly and Local Governments Area Councils simultaneously.
The bill also stated that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) will determine the date of the election.
The Green Chamber also passed 39 other bills through second reading and referred them to the Special Ad hoc Committee on the review of the 1999 Constitution for further legislative actions.
Among the bills passed at the plenary presided over by Deputy Speaker Benjamin Kalu, include “A bill for an Act to alter the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria Capital. C23 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004 to provide for the Recognition and Development of the Geopolitical Zones in Nigeria and for Related Matters sponsored by Speaker Tajudeen Abbas and Marcus Onubun (PDP, Edo).
The House also passed “A bill for an act to alter the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 Capital, C23, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004 to establish and empower the Political Parties Registration and Regulatory Commission to register, Regulate and Monitor the Organization and Operation of Political Parties and for Related Matters”, sponsored by Aminu Dauro (APC, Katsina).
Similarly, the House passed “A bill for an act to alter the provisions of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999( as amended) to provide that General Elections to the Office of the President, State Governors, National Assembly, State Houses of Assembly and Local Governments Area Councils shall be conducted simultaneously on the same date to be determined by the Independent National Electoral Commission in consultation with the National Assembly and for Related Matters,” sponsored by Francis Waive (APC, Delta) and 35 others.
Another bill passed was “A bill for an act to alter the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended) to provide for Special Seats for the Physically Challenged Persons in Nigeria’s Federal, State and Local Government Areas, and Legislative Houses and Related Matters” sponsored by Speaker Tajudeen Abbas and Marcus Onobun (PDP, Edo).
Relatedly, the house passed “A bill for an act to alter the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 as (amended) to provide for six special seats for special interest groups in the House of Representatives and for Related Matters”, sponsored by Akin Rotimi (APC, Etiti).
Importantly, the House passed “A bill for an act to alter the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 to provide for the establishment of State Police and Local Government Police and for Related Matters”, sponsored by Francis Waive (APC, Delta) and Akin Rotimi (APC, Etiti).
The House passed “A bill for an act to alter the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 to provide for the determination of all appeals arising from election tribunals prior to the swearing in of president-elect, vice president -elect, governor -elect, deputy governor -elect, members -elect of the National and State Assemblies and for Related Matters”, sponsored by Mansur Soro and five others.
In a similar vein, the House passed “A bill for an act to alter the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended) to extend the original jurisdiction of the Court of Appeal to include election petitions arising from governorship and deputy governorship elections, tenure of governors and deputy governors of states for related matters”, sponsored by Adebayo Balogun.
