Constitution amendment: Reps to name harmonisation c’ttee next week

The House of Representatives has said it would made public the names of those who would harmonise the clauses it has amended in the constitution with the Senate, next week.

This is just as it said it won’t comment on the National Conference being put together by President Goodluck Jonathan.
Chairman of Ad-Hoc Committee on Constitution Review of the House of Representatives, Hon. Emeka Ihedioha, made this known when he led other members of the committee to present to the Nigerian Public the score card and the work done so far by the Ad-hoc committee.

Ihedioha said about 72 clauses were amended in the 1999 Constitution. Some of the Highlights included the amendment of Section 180 which decided that conviction of a sitting President, Vice President, Governor or Deputy Governor is a ground for the person to leave office.

“He can only be removed by a 2/3 vote of the Senate or the House of Assembly. The office as already stated shall be on first line charge in order to further guarantee financial and operational independence”.

“The referendum required for a new State shall now be approved by at least two-thirds majority of the ‘registered voters’ of the local government areas where the demand originated from, instead of the current provision of approval by “two-third majority of the people of the area” which is ambiguous and subject to different interpretations.”