Milestones

Approved amendments include legislative immunity for members of both National and State Assemblies against civil and criminal proceedings for “words spoken or written before the House or Committee thereof”; inclusion of the physical challenge as ground for discriminations as ethnicity, sex, etc.; inclusion of basic education and primary healthcare in fundamental and justifiable human rights; independent candidature; inclusion of electoral offences as grounds for disqualification of candidates for election; and mandatory presentation State of the Nation address to a joint session of NASS once yearly.

Others were straightening of processes for state creation; removal of presidential assent of constitution amendment Bills; financial autonomy for Office of the Auditor-General of the Federation and Attorney-General of the Federation; 30-day time limit for the transmission of assent or veto of a Bill by President or Governor failing which it automatically becomes law; and amendment to Section 59 providing for override of presidential veto (where necessary) by two-thirds majority of Members of both Houses within seven days.

Also passed were compulsory presentation of budget estimates by President/Governor latest September and passing of same latest December 31; reduction of the period the President/Governor could approve based on previous year’s budget (in the absence of a new budget) from six to three months; life pension for presiding officers of NASS not impeached; financial autonomy for State Assemblies; establishment of State Assembly Service Commission; sanction for disobeying legislative summons; inclusion of all former Presidents of the Senate and Speakers of the House of Representatives in the membership of the National Council of State.

The amendments further comprised creation of Office of the Accountant-General of Federal Government different from Accountant-General of the Federation for accountability; separation of the Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation from the Office of the Minister of Justice with provisions for recommendation of AGF to the President by the National Judicial Council (NJC), confirmation by the Senate, financial independence, and removal only by the approval of two-thirds majority of the Senate; disposal of some appeals in Chamber by the Supreme Court without oral hearing of the appeal; prohibition of courts/tribunals from granting a stay of proceedings on account of interlocutory appeals in electoral matters; conferment of criminal jurisdiction for electoral offences on the Federal High Court; and timeframe for the disposal of pre-election matters.

In addition, the Legislative Lists were streamlined to devolve more powers to the states. While National Security was included in the Exclusive List, railways, stamp duties, aviation, etc. were moved to the Concurrent List in addition to agriculture, arbitration, environment, health, road safety, pensions, etc.