2015: IBB says President has right to seek second Term

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"> <header class="post-header cf" style="border: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 21px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><div class="featured" style="border: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 14px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <a href="http://sunnewsonline.com/new/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/IBB-2.jpg" itemprop="image" rel="prettyPhoto" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" title="2015: Babangida endorses Jonathan"><span style="color: black;"><img alt="IBB-2" class="attachment-main-slider wp-post-image no-display appear" height="336" src="http://sunnewsonline.com/new/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/IBB-2-700x336.jpg" style="-webkit-transition: all 0.4s ease-in-out; border: 0px; height: auto; margin: 0px; max-width: 100%; opacity: 0.8; padding: 0px; transition: all 0.4s ease-in-out; vertical-align: baseline;" title="2015: Babangida endorses Jonathan" width="700" /></span></a></div> <h1 class="post-title" itemprop="name" style="border: 0px; float: left; font-weight: normal; margin: 0px 35px 0px 0px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 18px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">2015: Babangida endorses Jonathan</span></span></h1> <a class="comments" href="http://sunnewsonline.com/new/?p=77348#comments" style="border: 0px; float: right; margin: 0px 0px 0px -35px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span class="fa fa-comments-o" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border: 0px; display: inline-block; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-rendering: auto; vertical-align: baseline;"></span> </span></span></a><a class="comments" href="http://sunnewsonline.com/new/?p=77348#comments" style="border: 0px; float: right; margin: 0px 0px 0px -35px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br /></span></span></a><a class="comments" href="http://sunnewsonline.com/new/?p=77348#comments" style="border: 0px; float: right; margin: 0px 0px 0px -35px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br /></span></span></a><a class="comments" href="http://sunnewsonline.com/new/?p=77348#comments" style="border: 0px; float: right; margin: 0px 0px 0px -35px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br /></span></span></a><a class="comments" href="http://sunnewsonline.com/new/?p=77348#comments" style="border: 0px; float: right; margin: 0px 0px 0px -35px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br /></span></span></a></header><div class="post-container cf" style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <div class="post-content-right" style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <div class="post-content description" itemprop="articleBody" style="border: 0px; margin: 0px 0px -1.857em; padding: 0px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline;"> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.857em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><br /></b></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.857em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">…Says president has right to seek 2nd term</b></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.857em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Former military president, General Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida (Retd), has given approval to the anticipated 2015 re-election bid of President Goodluck Ebele Jona­than, just as he urged Ni­gerians to be patient with the president in his ef­forts to tackle the myriad of problems facing the country.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.857em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">In an interview with journal­ists at his Minna country home to mark his 73rd birthday, Ba­bangida said there is nobody in Jonathan’s shoes who would not take advantage of a second term.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.857em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">“Well, if you were in his shoes, won’t you want to come back if you are there? If you believe in what you are doing, and you are doing well, why shouldn’t you? I think we once got it right, and we can still get it right, and you guys have to get it right.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.857em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">“I think what is lacking is what I have always referred to as voter education, the level of understanding, the level of belief are still below what we expect. For instance, if you (the journalist) were elected as the governor of your state today, you should be able to take a sur­vey of whether people like you because you are doing well, but they may not like you because you are not fulfilling the prom­ises you made to them.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.857em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">“The only means is for the people to be patient and at the time of next election, the leader gets voted out. So, we have not reached the stage where the or­dinary voter would say no, as a matter of fact, their leaders have not done well, let us vote them out. Once you do that, I think in the next dispensation, somebody else would come in and I really hope we would reach that stage where ideas are the main issues, not which zone should produce X, Y, Z posi­tions. I think this is still part of the little problems that we are facing.”</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.857em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">As to what the old genera­tion of leaders is doing about the multifarious problems con­fronting the country, Baban­gida said the leaders are doing a lot, and if there is any set of Nigerians who understand the problems of this country, they are those of them who have had the opportunity to be at the helm of affairs at various times in the life of the country.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.857em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">“We know what the problem is, we appreciate what the Pres­ident is doing, and the best we can do, and what we are always doing is to be of help or assis­tance to him in forms of advice, meetings, interaction and so on.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.857em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">“I think this is one of the luckiest countries, which has got seven living heads of state including interim head of gov­ernment, and we have always availed ourselves through the President and we have also ap­preciated the problems the Pres­ident, is facing, and because we were once there, we appreciate it more than any other person in the country. The best we could do is to always sit with him in an environment that is really conducive and then give him advice, and I think I am glad to say that we are doing the best we can to assist him, while we urge Nigerians to be patient with Mr. President.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.857em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">“I have always said that there would be Nigeria in 1,000 years to come and, therefore,everybody who has followed the history of this country would have observed that every administration from the late Tafawa Balewa period to the current regime, every administration had faced one challenge or the other during the course of it’s time and this one cannot be the end because the last administration had its own challenge too. The impor­tant thing is that we the people should strive hard to overcome the problem and then move for­ward. I think what is happening to us is not new in any develop­ing country.”</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.857em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Reacting to a question on the level of insecurity in the country, especially as it affects the abducted Chibok girls, the former leader responded thus: “I am aware of what the gov­ernment is doing now, and I know that there is a lot of com­petition. It is no longer an issue that you could ask the military to move inside Sambisa forest and release these young girls. I think what Nigerians want is that they want them released and come home alive, and not dead. Nigerians want them alive and this is a very genuine thinking. From my experience as a professional soldier, we need a lot of planning, a lot of co-operation. A lot of studies have to be done to achieve this objective.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.857em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">“Either 217 or 219 or what­ever the number is, it is a lot of number to lose just like that, but I think the government is trying from what we got during our last briefing, and I am quite satisfied  that efforts are being made to get them released. You see, the objective is to get them out of that place alive because the operative word is alive, hence if we enforce any military operation, we can get them all killed. So, the objective could be defeated.”</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.857em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Talking about impunity in governance, the impeachment saga and the militarization of the electoral process, IBB ex­pressed disagreement, saying, “it is still part of the learning process.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.857em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">“You may call it impuni­ty,  you may give it any name you want, but for those  of you who are observers, I think I would like to see a situation where a chief executive of a state is being accused and he is given an opportunity to come forward and say look, this is not true. He has  his team of lawyers, the state House of As­sembly would also have their lawyers too, and they should make it public so that the public gets to know what is happening, and at the end of the day the two parties would iron out their dif­ferences.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.857em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">“But don’t forget that in our current situation, like I said, we are just in the learning process because if it is one particular party that has more than the two-thirds majority in the House of Assembly  to remove a governor anytime they find there is a breach of the constitu­tion or gross misconduct it will be easy. But I hope to see a situ­ation where the governor as the chief executive of the state can talk over the heads of those of them in the assembly and reach out to the public assuming the governor is doing well, the pub­lic will support him.”</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.857em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Babangida expressed the hope that a time would come when the immunity clause will no longer be an issue, although every chief executive has some­thing in him that needs protec­tion like his name, his reputa­tion, his family and so many other things.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.857em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">According to the former leader, those are the things he should protect, not immunity that is there for one thing or the other.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.857em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">“But if you accuse me, I will like to prove to you that you are wrong. But time would come when the chief executives would rather defend themselves especially on the issue of their personal integrity. They are supposed to remove this issue of immunity clause and the rest of them.</span></div> <div id="adscontainer" style="border: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 1.857em; padding: 0px; text-align: center; vertical-align: baseline;"> <div style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <div style="text-align: left;"> <br /></div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div>

2015: IBB says President has right to seek second Term

2015: Babangida endorses Jonathan   …Says president has right to seek 2nd term Former military president, General Ibrahim Badam...

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Growing Your Own Food at Home is now illegal!

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"> <br /> <img alt="growing food" class="attachment-full wp-post-image" height="320" src="http://www.lifeintheknow.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/growing-food.jpg" style="border: 0px; display: block; height: auto; margin: 0px 0px 28px; max-width: 100%; padding: 0px; word-wrap: break-word;" width="480" /><br /> <div class="post_content" itemprop="articleBody" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; word-wrap: break-word;"> <span class="wpsr_floatbts_anchor" data-offset="25" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); margin: 0px; padding: 0px; word-wrap: break-word;"></span><div style="margin-bottom: 18px !important; padding: 0px; word-wrap: break-word;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">a Disturbing new trend is emerging where people who try and live a sustainable life by growing their own food and harvesting their own energy from the sun and water from rain are now being raided by swat teams and in some cases thrown in jail.</span></div> <div style="margin-bottom: 18px !important; padding: 0px; word-wrap: break-word;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); margin: 0px; padding: 0px; word-wrap: break-word;">Watch these two videos for more information regarding this new trend and make sure to let us know what you think in the comments.</span></div> <div> <span style="line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; word-wrap: break-word;"><br /></span></div> </div> <div style="margin-bottom: 18px !important; padding: 0px; word-wrap: break-word;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); color: black; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; word-wrap: break-word;"><a href="http://www.lifeintheknow.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/prison-rainwater.jpg" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); margin: 0px; padding: 0px; word-wrap: break-word;"><img alt="prison rainwater" height="349" src="http://www.lifeintheknow.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/prison-rainwater.jpg" style="border: 0px; display: block; height: auto; margin: 0px; max-width: 100%; padding: 0px; word-wrap: break-word;" width="549" /></a></span></div> <div style="margin-bottom: 18px !important; padding: 0px; word-wrap: break-word;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">The Oregon man, Mr Harrington who was charged and found guilty for  collecting rainwater on his own property, started his prison sentence today. He has to serve 30 days in jail and pay a $1500 fine.</span></div> <div style="margin-bottom: 18px !important; padding: 0px; word-wrap: break-word;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Here’s what he said.</span></div> <blockquote style="border-left-color: rgb(221, 221, 221); border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 1px; margin: 0px 0px 28px 14px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 14px; word-wrap: break-word;"> <div style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; word-wrap: break-word;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">“They’ve just gotten to be big bullies and if you just lay over and die and give up, that just makes them bigger bullies.”</span></div> <div style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; word-wrap: break-word;"> </div> <div style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; word-wrap: break-word;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">“We as Americans, we need to stand on our constitutional rights, on our rights as citizens and hang tough. This is a good country, we’ll prevail,” he said.</span></div> </blockquote> <div style="margin-bottom: 18px !important; padding: 0px; word-wrap: break-word;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"> </span><strong style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); margin: 0px; padding: 0px; word-wrap: break-word;">Update June 2014:</strong></div> <div style="margin-bottom: 18px !important; padding: 0px; word-wrap: break-word;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">The State of Michigan just made it illegal for residents to grow their own food and keep their own livestock at home. If you live in Michigan where there are 13 other homes within an eight of a mile to your house you may not keep chickens, beehives, grow your own food or even a goat or two.</span></div> <div style="margin-bottom: 18px !important; padding: 0px; word-wrap: break-word;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">This is an all out war on self sufficiency. You’d think that the government would encourage it’s citizens to be more self sufficient like they do in Switzerland and other countries.</span></div> <div dir="rtl" style="text-align: right;"> <br /></div> </div>

Growing Your Own Food at Home is now illegal!

a Disturbing new trend is emerging where people who try and live a sustainable life by growing their own food and harvesting their own ...

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Contest and plunge Nigeria into violence, anarchy, Northern delegates warn Jonathan, others

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"> <div style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">By Henry Umoru<br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" />ABUJA – NORTHERN delegates at the on- going National Conference have threatened that if President Goodluck Jonathan presents himself for re- election in the 2015 presidential election, it would plunge the country into political chaos.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">According to the Northern delegates, the draft  Constitution as prepared by the Justice Idris  Kutigi led Secretariat was a third term agenda designed primarily to allow for President Jonathan, other incumbent elective office holders whom they alleged as not qualified to contest to run for the election, even as they warned that if allowed to sail through, it has  the potential of throwing the country into violence and anarchy.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Addressing Journalists Tuesday at Gombe Jewel Hotel, Wuse 11, Abuja, Chairman of the Arewa Consultative Forum, ACF and former Inspector General of Police, IGP, Ibrahim Coomasie warned that if the document which he described as a third term agenda was not killed at the conference, it would like in 2005, lead to anarchy, violence and chaos.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">The northern delegates who distanced themselves from the draft Constitution, however noted that its appearance on Monday was a surprise to them as well as shocking and what they described as disappointment to them as northern delegates and Nigerians in general, just a they said  that as members of the National Conference and by constitution, it was not within the purview of delegates to draft a new constitution, adding that the document was illegal.</span></div> <div class="wp-caption alignright" id="attachment_459331" style="border: 0px; float: right; margin: 0px 0px 20px 20px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; width: 422px;"> <a href="http://www.vanguardngr.com/2014/08/contest-plunge-nigeria-violence-anarchy-northern-delegates-warn-jonathan-others/useni2/" rel="attachment wp-att-459331" style="-webkit-transition: background-color 0.2s linear, border-top-color; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); border: 0px; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; transition: background-color 0.2s linear, border-top-color; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="color: black;"><img alt="IGP Ibrahim Coomasie, addressing Journalists with Mohammed Umara Kumalia to his right; Lt. Gen. Jerry Useni; Prof. Iyorchia Ayu; Air Vice Marshal Mutari Mohammed; AVM Mutari Mohammed. Pictures by Henry Umoru" class="size-full wp-image-459331" height="250" src="http://dvsl3w2q45hb8.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/Useni2.jpg" style="-webkit-transition: margin 0.2s linear, box-shadow; border: none; box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.247059) 1px 1px 1px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; transition: margin 0.2s linear, box-shadow;" width="412" /></span></a><div class="wp-caption-text" style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 8px 0px 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">IGP Ibrahim Coomasie, addressing Journalists with Mohammed Umara Kumalia to his right; Lt. Gen. Jerry Useni; Prof. Iyorchia Ayu; Air Vice Marshal Mutari Mohammed; AVM Mutari Mohammed. Pictures by Henry Umoru</span></div> </div> <div style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Coomasie said, ” Given the observation under (iv) above, adopting a new Constitution is therefore calculated to enable incumbent elective office holders who are statute-barred from going for 3rd Term at both Federal and State levels, to run for offices again under the guise of running under a new Constitution. This will also have the consequential effect of depriving aspiring politicians from all political parties, as well as all Nigerians, of their rights to choices and preferences as enshrined in the constitution.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">“If not arrested, the 3rd Term agenda, as in the past (2005), is capable of plunging Nigeria into another circle of political chaos with potential of violence and anarchy.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">“We, Northern Delegates to the Conference wish to assure patriotic Nigerians, and all lovers of democracy, that we are neither privy to, nor were we accessory to the emergence of the controversial “New Draft Constitution 2014″. We, therefore, unequivocally disown it, and emphatically disassociate ourselves from it. Accordingly, we will have nothing to do with it, for the following legal, moral and political reasons:</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">“Delegates to the conference were not elected, and therefore lack both legal, and moral authority to draft a new constitution for the Nigerian Federation. Rather, we were constituted to serve as an ad hoc advisory mechanism for to The President, as representatives of broad interests across the federation, and cannot, therefore, legally arrogate ourselves the far-reaching function of making a “new” constitution for the Federal Republic of Nigeria. That can only be done by an appropriately constituted Constituent Assembly.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">“The Secretariat of the Conference has indicated in chapter 7 of the draft Report Vol. 1 that the so called ‘new Constitution’ is to be brought into effect through a national referendum to be specifically held for the purpose. To this we say, without any fear of contradiction, that there is no legal provision in our Constitution for the holding of such a referendum. The reference to a referendum, made by the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria in his inauguration address at the National Conference on 17th March<br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" />2014, was purely speculative, as it was predicated on the National Assembly introducing a provision in the Constitution that will permit the holding of referendum<br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" />“… if at the end of the de liberation the need for a referendum arises”. We want to say, with authority, that such a proposal has since been turned down by the National Assembly. Inquiries at both the Senate and House of Representatives have since shown that efforts at tabling the case for referendum, through private member-bills, were rejected twice, and cannot, therefore, be reintroduced in the life of the present Senate.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">“From the foregoing, it is now abundantly clear that the conference has been infiltrated by fifth -columnists whose goal is to subvert democratic processes and plunge the country into deeper, but avoidable political Crisis.<br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" />(iv) To all intent and purposes, the introduction of a “new<br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" />Constitution 2014″ for Nigeria, is a calculated attempt by some people to take advantage of Court of Appeal’s ruling in 2003, as delivered by Justice George Adesola Oguntade, (JCA as he then was) in the celebrated case of Attorney-General of the Federation Vs. ANPP, and Others (A.G, Fed. v. A.N.P.P. [2003] 15 NWLR (Pt. 844).</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">“Wherein Governor Abubakar Abdu of Kogi State (then) was challenged over his eligibility to run for a second term in 2003, having had a first term which ended in May 2003. The contention was that having been champion and uphold democratic principles, as enshrined in the constitution and other legitimate sources of law-making.”</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">It would be recalled that as delegates resumed plenary on Monday after a month break,  the Conference Secretariat prepared a draft Constitution to be sent to the National Assembly which was distributed along side the Bill and two volumes of the final report of the Conference to delegates. It contained  some alterations in the Constitution as part of the recommendations  during Committee sittings and plenary.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Coomasie, a delegate representing the North West Zone was flanked at the briefing after the over two hours meeting of the Northern Delegates by Mohammed Umara Kumalia; Lt. Gen. Jerry Useni; Prof. Iyorchia Ayu; Bashir Dalhatu; Gen. Salihu Ibrahim; Amb. Ibrahim Gambari; Air Vice Marshal Mutari Mohammed; Emir of Askira, Alhaji Abdullahi Ibn Muhammed.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">The hall was full to the brim by the Northern Delegates. Some delegates who were present include,  Senator Saidu Dansadau; Col. Bala Mande; Prof. Ruqayyatu Ahmed Rufai: Senator Ahmed Aruwa; Hajia Aishatu Isma’il; Gen. A.B. Mamman; Arc. Ibrahim Bunu; Sani Zoro; Hauwa Evelyn Shekarau; Nurudeen Lemu; Naseer Kura; Ishaq Modibbo Kawu; Magaji Dambatta; among others.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">After reading the five page text, Coomasie and other delegates however refused questions from Journalists.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">The text read in full, “You are welcome, and we thank you for responding to our invitation.<br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" />Our purpose for holding this press conference is to brief you, and through you the entire country, about the latest developments at this crucial stage of the 2014 National Conference. As citizens of Nigeria, we are greatly concerned about this development and its wider implications to sustainable democracy, political stability, peace, and development of our Country.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">“The first indication that there was going to be problem was on Monday 30th June, 2014, when a front page report in a national daily (Daily Trust) alleged that a member of the leadership of the conference had been lobbying members of the Northern Delegation to be able to smuggle in a “new constitution” at the conference. A delegate drew the attention of the Conference to the publication under MATTERS OF NATIONAL IMPORTANCE:  the integrity of the Leadership of the Conference and it was demanded that the Leadership should make a categorical statement on the issue.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">“The Leadership claimed ignorance of the existence of any such document and demanded to see a copy of it. This was immediately made available, and after going though it, the Conference Chairman made the following statement as reflected in the Conference Hansard of Monday 30th June, 2014, on page 14:</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">“We know nothing about the paper in circulation. We know nothing of the consideration of any Committee, we formed no Committee apart from the standing Committee we set up …We are not aware of that…We have nothing to do with it. That matter should be closed!”</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">“Ordinarily, the matter of a “new constitution” should have died a natural death. But that was not to be. The issue was brought over and over again in the course of plenary sessions, but each time it was overwhelmingly rejected by the delegates. And when attempts were made to bring in the issue of “referendum”, as a means of actualising the outcome of the conference, it was always strongly and painstakingly explained that the operating Constitution does not have any provision for such a referendum. The only instance when a referendum can be held is in relation to the creation of new states or boundry adjustment, per the provision of Section 8 of the CFRN 1999 (as amended).</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">“You are aware, by now, of the surprise, shock and disappointment with which not only delegates to the conference, but many patriotic Nigerians, have reacted to news of the sudden appearance of a “New Draft Constitution 2014”, among other documents distributed to delegates, when we resumed at plenary, last Monday, August, 11, 2014.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">“We, Northern Delegates to the Conference wish to assure patriotic Nigerians, and all lovers of democracy, that we are neither privy to, nor were we accessory to the emergence of the controversial “New Draft Constitution 2014”. We, therefore, unequivocally disown it, and emphatically disassociate ourselves from it. Accordingly, we will have nothing to do with it, for the following legal, moral and political reasons:</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">“(i) Delegates to the conference were not elected, and therefore lack both legal, and moral authority to draft a new constitution for the Nigerian Federation. Rather, we were constituted to serve as an ad hoc advisory mechanism for to The President, as representatives of   broad interests across the federation, and cannot, therefore, legally arrogate ourselves the far-reaching function of making a “new” constitution for the Federal Republic of Nigeria. That can only be done by an appropriately constituted Constituent Assembly.<br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" />(ii) The Secretariat of the Conference has indicated in chapter 7 of the draft Report Vol. 1 that the so called ‘new Constitution’ is to be brought into effect through a national referendum to be specifically held for the purpose. To this we say, without any fear of contradiction, that there is no legal provision in our Constitution for the holding of such a referendum. The reference to a referendum, made by the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria in his inauguration address at the National Conference on 17th March 2014, was purely speculative, as it was predicated on the National Assembly introducing a provision in the Constitution that will permit the holding of referendum “… if at the end of the deliberation the need for a referendum arises”. We want to say, with authority, that such a proposal has since been turned down by the National Assembly.  Inquiries at both the Senate and House of Representatives have since shown that efforts at tabling the case for referendum, through private member-bills, were rejected twice, and cannot, therefore, be reintroduced in the life of the present Senate.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">(iii) From the foregoing, it is now abundantly clear that the conference has been infiltrated by fifth-columnists whose goal is to subvert democratic processes and plunge the country into deeper, but avoidable political crisis.<br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" />(iv) To all intent and purposes, the introduction of a “new Constitution 2014” for Nigeria, is a calculated attempt by some people to take advantage of Court of Appeal’s ruling in 2003, as delivered by  Justice George Adesola Oguntade, (JCA as he then was) in the celebrated case of Attorney-General of the Federation Vs. ANPP, and Others (A.G, Fed. v. A.N.P.P. [2003] 15 NWLR (Pt. 844). Wherein Governor Abubakar Abdu of Kogi State (then) was challenged over his eligibility to run for a second term in 2003, having had a first term which ended in May 2003. The contention was that having been elected Kogi State Governor in 1991, his tenure 1991 – 1993 should be regarded as a first term and the tenure 1999 – 2003 should have been regarded as second term. Accordingly, he should stand barred from contesting for another term in the 2003 election, as that would amount to a violation of the subsisting Constitution, which has provided that a person could only be elected into the office of a State Governor for two terms and no more.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">“In that decision, the Court of Appeal upheld the eligibility of Governor Abubakar Audu of Kogi State, to stand for re-election as Governor, on the ground that his first tenure (1991-’93) was under a completely different Constitution (CFRN 1989), while the country was at the material time operating the 1999 Constitution, which was a new Constitution.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">“(v) Given the observation under (iv) above, adopting a new Constitution is therefore calculated to enable incumbent elective office holders who are statute-barred from going for 3rd Term at both Federal and State levels, to run for offices again under the guise of running under a new Constitution. This will also have the consequential effect of depriving aspiring politicians from all political parties, as well as all Nigerians, of their rights to choices and preferences as enshrined in the constitution.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">(vi) If not arrested, the 3rd Term agenda, as in the past (2005), is capable of plunging Nigeria into another circle of political chaos with potential of violence and anarchy.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">“We, as pan-Nigerians and democrats reject this agenda, in its entirety and call on stakeholders of all  persuasions and institutions especially political parties, national and state houses of assembly, the media, Civil Society Organizations, faith based organisation women, youths, etc., to reject same, and continue to champion and uphold democratic principles, as enshrined in the constitution and other legitimate sources of law-making .</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Thank you, and God bless.”</span></div> <div class="OUTBRAIN" data-browser="safari" data-dynload="" data-ob-mark="true" data-os="ipad" data-src="http://www.vanguardngr.com/2014/08/contest-plunge-nigeria-violence-anarchy-northern-delegates-warn-jonathan-others/" id="outbrain_widget_0" obdone="true" style="border: 0px; clear: both; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 5px 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <div class="ob_brnBox_cont NA" style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span class="ob_empty" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); border: 0px; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><wbr style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"></wbr></span><span class="ob_org_header" style="border: 0px; float: left; font-style: inherit; font-weight: 600; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 3px; 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Contest and plunge Nigeria into violence, anarchy, Northern delegates warn Jonathan, others

By Henry Umoru ABUJA – NORTHERN delegates at the on- going National Conference have threatened that if President Goodluck Jonathan present...

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Confab: Crisis looms as northern delegates plans to frustrate Amendment of 1999 Constitution

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"> <div style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">ABUJA- AS delegates at the on- going National Conference resumed plenary yesterday to debate on the final report of the Conference as produced by the Secretariat after one month of recess, strong indications have emerged that crisis looms as some northern delegates may have concluded plans to frustrate moves to amend some sections of the 1999 Constitution.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Preparatory to carry out some alterations in the Constitution as contained in the report as recommended during Committee sitting and proposed amendments to be made on the proposed constitution as approved by delegates, the Conference Secretariat has prepared a draft Constitution to be sent to the National Assembly.<br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><a href="http://www.vanguardngr.com/2014/08/sawyer-mad-bring-ebola-jonathan/comfab-letters/" rel="attachment wp-att-459196" style="-webkit-transition: background-color 0.2s linear, border-top-color; border: 0px; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; transition: background-color 0.2s linear, border-top-color; vertical-align: baseline;"><img alt="comfab-letters" class="alignright size-full wp-image-459196" height="250" src="http://dvsl3w2q45hb8.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/comfab-letters.jpg" style="-webkit-transition: margin 0.2s linear, box-shadow; border: none; display: inline; float: right; margin: 0px 0px 10px 10px; max-width: 100%; padding: 0px; transition: margin 0.2s linear, box-shadow;" width="412" /></a><br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" />Yesterday the Conference Secretatiat distributed the draft copy and a bill to give the Amendment teeth to all the delegates, just as some northern delegates were not comfortable with the draft with plans to ensure that it did not sail through.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">The body language of the north to jettison the idea came up yesterday when a northern delegate from Jigawa State and representing the Nigeria Union of Journalists, NUJ, Mallam Sani Zoro raised the issue that a new constitution was being prepared by the Secretariat and described the document as a strange one.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Zoro who queried the inclusion of the draft constitution, which he termed “strange document, was however economical with words and said, “Thank you for giving us the draft constitution. We didn’t expect it, but we welcome it and will go through it”.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">The Justice Idris Kutigi led 2014 National Conference plans to forward a Bill to both the Senate and the House of Representatives to alter some sections of the 1999 Constitution aimed at correcting what it termed some anomalies in the said constitution and make it more people oriented.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Kutigi in the Bill titled, an Act to further alter the Provision of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999( with the first, second and third Alterations, and for Related Matters 2014 will go the National Assembly as an Executive Bill.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Vanguard gathered that crises were already brewing at the Conference as delegates were poised to fight with the leadership of the Conference for tagging it a draft Constitution rather than tag it proposal for the alteration of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria against the backdrop that the conference has no such mandate to write a constitution, but to advise the President on areas that could be changed in the constitution.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">When Vanguard contacted a lawyer and a delegate, Festus Okoye to speak on the document, he noted that the problem was not with the content of the document, but with the National Conference Procedure Rules 2014, stressed that the title was wrong, adding that rather than write ” Draft Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 2014, it would have been, “Proposal for the Alteration of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, saying that the rules recognise that.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Speaking further, Okoye who said that there were some delegates and persons who never wanted the Conference to succeed from the beginning, stressed that what the leadership of the Conference had done was to play into the hands of such persons as it was not within the mandate of delegates to draft a constitution, adding that at the end of the day, it would amount to rubbishing names and integrity of delegates.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Citing Order 13, Rule 3 of Conference Procedure Rules 2014, Festus Okoye who is at the Conference on the platform of Civil Society Organisations, said that the section reads thus, “Should the final report lead to the drafting of issues of law and policy, the Conference shall in consultation with the six Principal Officers of the Conference advise the government on the legal framework, legal Procedures and options for integrating the decisions and outcomes of the National Conference into the Constitution and laws of the country. ”</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Also speaking with Vanguard, Sani Zoro who noted that the draft Constitution if allowed was capable of ridiculing the entire assignment at the Conference, it would amount to waste of time, energy and Government resources, just as he said that as delegates, it was not within their mandate to carry out such an assignment against the backdrop that it was not a constituent Assembly, adding that conflict looms between the delegates and the National Assembly.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Zoro who noted that there was no place President Goodluck Jonathan mentioned the draft of a new constitution during the inauguration, said, “the issues of the draft Constitution were capable of making nonsense of the entire exercise that has caused delegates their time, resources of government because when the President inaugurated the conference March 17, where in his speech or mention of mandating us to produce a new constitution.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">” Apart from that, I have seen strange clauses being smuggled into the draft Constitution. It is capable of ridiculing what we have done, no where it was mentioned that we have a new constitution; we are not a Constituent Assembly, we were not elected, only the National Assembly has such powers. Our job would have stopped at producing recommendations, the work Plan says submission of Conference reports and modalities of Implemenation. This can cause conflict bewteen us and the National Assembly, there is no need for that.”</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">According to the draft Constitution, some of the alterations were section 2 subsection A that ” Any State of the Federation wishing to do so may enact and give its self a Constitution for the State, but if any provision of the Constitution of that State is inconsistent with any provision of this Constitution, this constitutions shall prevail and that other provision shall to the extent of the inconsistency be void. ”</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Also the draft constitution stipulates that the country will now ave fifty- four state following the creation of additional States by the Conference.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">The document read in part, “Alteration of section 3<br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" />Section 3 of the prinripal Act is altered – (a) by replacing the existing subsection (1) with the following as new subsection (1) -<br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" />“(1) There shall be fifty-four states in Nigeria, that is to say, Aba, Abia, Adada, Adamawa, Akwa Ibom, Amana, Anarribra, Anioma, Apa, Bauchi, Bayelsa, Benue, Borno, Cross River, Delta, Ebonyi, Edo, Edu,piciti, Enugu, Etiti, Ghari, Gombe, Gurara, Ijebu, Imo, Jigawa, Kaduna, Kainji, Kano, Katagum, Katsina, Kebbi, Kogi, Kwara, Lagos, Nasarawa, New Oyo, Njaba-Anim, Niger, Ogoja, Ogun, Oil Rivers, Ondo, Ose, Osun, Oyo, Plateau, Rivers, Savannah, Sokoto, Taraba, Yobe and Zarnfara.”: and (b) by deleting subsections) (2) and (6); and ( c) in subsection (3) by replacing the word “third” with the word “second”.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">“Alteration of section 6<br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" />Section 6 of the prinfipal Act is altered – (a) in subsection (S) by – (i) by replacing the provision~ of paragraph (b) with the following – 1 “(b) the Federal Court of Ap,peal; (ii) inserting new paragraphs (bb) and (bbb) as follows-<br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" />“(bb] the State Court of Appeal; (ccc) the Constitutional Court”: and (cccc) the Anti-Corruption Court; (b) by deleting subsection (6)(c); and<br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" />( c) by inserting a new subsection (7) as follows – “(7) (i)In the exercise of judicial powers, the courts shall be independent and shall not be subject to the control or direction of any person or authority. (ii) No person or authority; shall interfere with the court or judicial officers in the exercise of their judicial functions. (iii) All organs and agencies of the State shall accord the courts such assistance as may be required to ensure the effectiveness of the courts.<br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" />(iv) A person exercising judicial powers shall not be liable to any action or suit for any act or omission by that personiin the exercise of judicial powers.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">” Alteration of section 7 Section 7 of the principal Act is altered -<br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" />(a) in subsection (1) by replacing the existing provisions with the following-<br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" />“(l)(a)(i) A system of local governments by democratically elected local government councils is guaranteed. (ii) Chairmen and councillors of local governments not democratically elected shall not be recognised by all authorities and persons and shall not be entitled to any revenue allocation. i<br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" />(b) States shall create Iocal governments. which shall be under the jurisdiction of that State.<br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" />(c) States that wish to, may increase or reduce the number of existing local governments which shall be under the jurisdiction of the State.<br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" />(d) The number, structure, form and administration of local governments shall be deterrnirjed by States: Provided that the tenure of elected local government councils shall be three years.”; (b) by deleting subsection ~6)(a); and (c) by inserting a new subsection (7) as follows -<br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" />“(7) In addition to the functions conferred upon local government councils as specified in the Fourth Schedule to this Constitution, the House of Assembly of a State may by Law confer additional functions; on the local government.”</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">” Insertion of a new Section 8A – Merger of Existing States. 8 A 1). Without prejudice to States constituting the federating units, States that wish to merge may do so. Provided that- (a) a two-thirds majority of all members in each of the Houses of Assembly of each of the States in which such merge! is proposed support by resolution the merger; (b) a referendum is conducted in each of the States proposing to merge with 75 per cent of the eligible in each of those States approving the merger; and<br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" />(c) the National Assembly by resolution passed by a simple of membership approves of the merger. (2) States that decide to merge shall also reserve the right to demerge following the same procedure and processes for merger.<br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" />(3) Any group of States may create a self-funding Zonal Commission.”</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">” Alteration of Section 9<br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" />Section 9 of the principal Act is altered by – (a) replacing the existing subsection (2) with the following- “(2) An Act of the National Assembly for the purpose of altering any provision of this constitution shall only be passed if the proposal for alteration of the Constitution is approved – (a) in a referendum by simple majority; (b) by simple majority of all the States of the Federation supported by a simple majority of members of the Houses of Assembly; and (c) by a rlsolution passed by two-thirds majority of members of each House of the National Assembly.”; and (b) deleting subsection (3)</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">“Alteration of section 12 Section 12 of the principal Act is altered by -<br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" />(a) inserting new subsections (1) and (2) as follows-<br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" />“12. -(1) The National Assembly may make laws for the making of treaties between the Federation and any other country on any matter on the Exclusive List. (2) All treaties to be negotiated and entered into for and on behalf of the Federal Republic of Nigeria by any Ministry, government agency, body or person shall be made in consultation with the relevant committees of the National Assembly before such treaties are signed by such bodies.”<br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" />(b) by renumbering the existing subsections as subsections (3), (4) and (5); and(c) by inserting a new subsection (6) as follows – “(6) No treaty shall be ratified except when such treaty has been enacted into law by the National Assembly.”</span></div> <div class="OUTBRAIN" data-browser="safari" data-dynload="" data-ob-mark="true" data-os="ipad" data-src="http://www.vanguardngr.com/2014/08/confab-crisis-looms-northern-delegates-plans-frustrate-amendment-1999-constitution/" id="outbrain_widget_0" obdone="true" style="border: 0px; clear: both; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 5px 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <div class="ob_brnBox_cont NA" style="border: 0px; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span class="ob_empty" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); border: 0px; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><wbr style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"></wbr></span><span class="ob_org_header" style="border: 0px; float: left; font-style: inherit; font-weight: 600; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 3px; vertical-align: baseline;"></span></div> </div> -</div>

Confab: Crisis looms as northern delegates plans to frustrate Amendment of 1999 Constitution

ABUJA- AS delegates at the on- going National Conference resumed plenary yesterday to debate on the final report of the Conference as prod...

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