The Nasarawa State House of Assembly on Monday
overruled Gov .Umaru Al-Makura when it passed
into law the state Local Government Amendment
Bill 2013.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the
bill stipulates one-year tenure for elected council
chairmen and councillors
At the plenary on Monday, the lawmakers passed
the bill into law through a simple majority voice
vote.
After a prolonged debate over a letter sent to the
assembly by the Governor, explaining his inability to
sign the bill into law, the lawmakers invoked the
powers conferred on them by the constitution to
override the decision of the governor to ensure
passage of the bill into law.
The action followed a motion by the Majority Leader,
Mr Godiya Akwashiki (PDP, Nasarawa-Eggon West)
on the issue.
Akwashiki argued that since it had taken the
Governor more than three months to sign the bill
into law, far beyond the 30 days allowed by the
constitution, the assembly was left with no option
than to override the executive and to pass the bill
into law through two-thirds simple majority.
Earlier in his submission,
Umaru Tanko-Tunga
(APC, Awe North),
cautioned both the
executive and legislative
arms of government
against taking decisions
capable of causing more
hardships to the people
at the grassroots.
“The people at the
grassroots are the meal
tickets of both the
executive and legislature
and as such we should
be careful not to subject
them to further
hardships”, he said.
Tanko-Tunga, who
described the one-year
tenure passed by the
assembly for elected
council officials “as not
practical”, however,
disagreed with the
executive for allowing the
Nasarawa State
Independent Electoral
Commission (NASIEC) to
commence preparations
for the council elections
even in the absence of
the requisite law.
Through a voice vote, the Speaker, Alhaji Ahmed
Musa Mohammed, pronounced the passage of the
State Local Government Amendment Bill into law.
Commenting on the development, the state Attorney
General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr Innocent
Lagi, said the lawmakers acted out of ignorance.
”The assembly cannot overrule the executive and
pass a bill into law through a voice vote,” he said.
(NAN)
overruled Gov .Umaru Al-Makura when it passed
into law the state Local Government Amendment
Bill 2013.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the
bill stipulates one-year tenure for elected council
chairmen and councillors
At the plenary on Monday, the lawmakers passed
the bill into law through a simple majority voice
vote.
After a prolonged debate over a letter sent to the
assembly by the Governor, explaining his inability to
sign the bill into law, the lawmakers invoked the
powers conferred on them by the constitution to
override the decision of the governor to ensure
passage of the bill into law.
The action followed a motion by the Majority Leader,
Mr Godiya Akwashiki (PDP, Nasarawa-Eggon West)
on the issue.
Akwashiki argued that since it had taken the
Governor more than three months to sign the bill
into law, far beyond the 30 days allowed by the
constitution, the assembly was left with no option
than to override the executive and to pass the bill
into law through two-thirds simple majority.
Earlier in his submission,
Umaru Tanko-Tunga
(APC, Awe North),
cautioned both the
executive and legislative
arms of government
against taking decisions
capable of causing more
hardships to the people
at the grassroots.
“The people at the
grassroots are the meal
tickets of both the
executive and legislature
and as such we should
be careful not to subject
them to further
hardships”, he said.
Tanko-Tunga, who
described the one-year
tenure passed by the
assembly for elected
council officials “as not
practical”, however,
disagreed with the
executive for allowing the
Nasarawa State
Independent Electoral
Commission (NASIEC) to
commence preparations
for the council elections
even in the absence of
the requisite law.
Through a voice vote, the Speaker, Alhaji Ahmed
Musa Mohammed, pronounced the passage of the
State Local Government Amendment Bill into law.
Commenting on the development, the state Attorney
General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr Innocent
Lagi, said the lawmakers acted out of ignorance.
”The assembly cannot overrule the executive and
pass a bill into law through a voice vote,” he said.
(NAN)
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