Browsing: 1999 Constitution

He also stated that the Federal Character Principle, as currently captured in the constitution, was being re-defined to go beyond ethnicity by including gender and other variables.

Fashola said at a Yoruba Tennis Club’s Landmark public lecture that it was better to work with the Constitution than to hold to the belief that Nigeria has “an all-powerful president”.

It said the statement (that presidency must go to the South) is contrary to the provisions of the 1999 Constitution, as amended, which states that the elected President shall: score the majority votes; score at least 25 percent of the total votes cast in two-thirds states of the Federation; and that in the case of run-up, simple majority win the election.

The NGF in a statement signed by the Governor of Plateau State, Simon Lalong, unanimously condemned the statement by the Southern Governors’ Forum that the Presidency must go to the South.

Accordingly, the upper chamber called on the Corporation to desist from further deduction at source as this contravenes Section 162(1) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended).

Governor Abubakar Bagudu, Chairman of the forum, an umbrella body of serving governors elected on the APC platform, gave the advice in a statement on Friday in Abuja.

Rather, the Senator, who holds a doctoral degree in property law, said the law on grazing reserves, recognised as a state law in the 1999 constitution, actually criminalised open grazing.

Rep. Oberuakpefe Afe (PDP-Delta), who sponsored the bill, said there was the need to regulate the structures of political parties in the country.

The Deputy President of the Senate and Chairman of the Senate Committee on Constitution Review, Senator Ovie Omo-Agege, made the position of the Senate known on Thursday during the national public hearing on the review of the 1999 Constitution.

Saying that a nation’s constitution is not only the foundation of its existence but is supposed to set the terms of the nationhood and define the manner that reflects her common truths and highest aspirations, the Speaker noted: “Our constitution falls short of this standard.”

The Deputy Senate President made this known when he briefed newsmen ahead of the Zonal Constitutional Review.

Speaking on Arise TV programme, leader of the organisation, Ayo Adebanjo, said the 1999 Constitution is skewed to favour a section of the country and was responsible for the agitations for secession by some separatist groups in southern Nigeria.

The bill titled “The Electoral Act (amendment) bill, 2021 (SB. 680),” which passed first reading, was sponsored by Senator Ajibola Basiru.

The governor, who spoke during a courtesy visit on him by the Minister of State for Mines and Steel Development, Dr Uchechukwu Ogah as well as while attending the opening ceremony of the 56th Annual International Conference and Exhibition of the Nigerian Mining and Geosciences Society (NMGS) in Ibadan, said that Oyo State was ready to partner the Federal Government to develop the solid minerals sector in a bid to boost revenue generation.

He said this in a statement on Friday in Abuja, adding that there was a need to correct the distortions to set the records straight.

Lawan made the disclosure on Thursday when delivering a speech to declare open a meeting between the Senator Ovie Omo-Agege-led Constitution Review Committee and the National Council of Traditional Rulers in Abuja.

The NNPC boss who appeared before the Committee chaired by Hon Busayo Oluwole Oke (PDP-Osun) for the first time after several failed summons, was grilled on the financial accounts of the corporation on 2015 financial operations.

The group also restated its support and commitment to true federalism on the basis of regionalism, adding that Nigeria cannot make any meaningful progress with the 1999 Constitution, which it described as a democratic albatross.

Tambuwal, the Governor of Sokoto State was quoted as saying this while speaking at the opening plenary of the 26th Nigerian Economic Summit tagged: “Building partnerships for resilience” in Abuja.

Now let’s proceed. The status of the Peoples Democratic Party presently is pretty much like a vessel sailing on the Atlantic engulfed by the raging tempest of zoning. The Party’s very survival beyond 2023 depends singularly on the ability of its leadership to appreciate the existential nature of this problem and to devise the strategic seamanship required to bring the vessel successfully to berth at shore.