Why presidency seeks amendment to N/East bill — Nyako

Chairman of the Senate Commitee on Special Duties, Senator Abdul’Aziz Murtala Nyako (APC, Adamawa), has said that the presidency sought for the amendment of the North East Development Commission (NEDC) bill to avoid constitutional logjam.

The bill which seeks to establish North East Development Commission to address the challenges in the North East geopolitical zone, occasioned by the Boko Haram insurgency, was rejected by the presidency.

Our correspondent reports that the National Assembly had on January 12 this year, after the passage of the bill, transmitted it to the President for assent.

But following observation on issues bordering on constitution, the President withheld assent. A total of 17 items were amended on the bill last Thursday at the Senate.

In an interview, Nyako whose committee worked on the bill last year said the observations made by the presidency were germane.

He said aside the issue of funding that the presidency sought for amendment, there were minor errors that needed to be corrected in the bill.

“Substantially, the bill has not changed. It has improved the bill and the commission when established will be better for it. We are very happy with the observations,” Nyako said.

He expressed optimism that with the amendment, the President would not hesitate to assent to the bill in view of the importance of the commission.

Nyako, while stressing the importance of the establishment of the commission, said when established it would fast-track the rebuilding of the North East geopolitical zone.