By Tony Akowe,
President Muhammadu Buhari has signed into law the fifth alteration to the 1999 Constitution requiring the President and Governors to send the list of Ministers and Commissioners to the legislature within sixty days after inauguration.
The bill, fifth alteration no 23 which is one of the bills which got two third approval of State legislatures, was sent to the President for assent by the National Assembly.
A statement from the House Committee on Constitution Review disclosed that the President has signed the bill no 23 and 15 other alterations into law.
The statement however did not state when the bills were signed by the President but quoted the Chairman of the Committee and Deputy Speaker as commending the President for signing the bills into law.
Bill number 23 seeks to alter the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 to require the President and Governors to submit the names of persons nominated as Ministers or Commissioners within sixty days of taking the oath of office for confirmation by the Senate or State House of Assembly.
Other bills signed by the President include the Bill that seeks to alter the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 to provide for the financial independence of State Houses of Assembly and State Judiciary.
It also include the Bill that seeks to alter the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 to regulate the first session and inauguration of members-elect of the National and State Houses of Assembly; and for related matters.
Others are “the bill that seeks to alter the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 to delete the reference to the provisions of the Criminal Code, Penal Code, Criminal Procedure Act, Criminal Procedure Code or Evidence Act;
“The Bill seeks to alter the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 to exclude the period of intervening events in the computation of time for determining pre-election petitions, election petitions and appeals;
“The Bill seeks to alter the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 to provide for the post call qualification of the Secretary of the National Judicial Council; and for related matters.
“The Bill seeks to alter the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 to delete the item “prisons” in the Exclusive Legislative List and redesignate it as “Correctional Services” in the Concurrent Legislative List;
“The Bill seeks to alter the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 to move the item “railways” from the Exclusive Legislative List to the Concurrent Legislative List;
“The Bill seeks to alter the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 to allow States generate, transmit and distribute electricity in areas covered by the national grid;
“The Bill seeks to alter the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 to require the President and Governors to submit the names of persons nominated as Ministers or Commissioners within sixty days of taking the oath of office for confirmation by the Senate or State House of Assembly;
“The Bill seeks alter the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 to correct the error in the definition of the boundary of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja; and
“he Bill seeks to alter the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 to require the Government to direct its policy towards ensuring right to food and food security in Nigeria”