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The Senate on Tuesday approved the transmission of 12 Constitution Alteration Bills to President Muhammadu Buhari for assent.
Some of the bills include financial autonomy of state legislature, timeline for the presentation of appropriation bill, restriction of tenure of president and governors, reduction of age for election among others.
The decision to transmit the bills was taken on Tuesday following their endorsement by state houses of assembly.
The motion was sponsored by the Deputy Senate President Ike Ekweremadu and co-sponsored by 49 others.
However, the motion was read by the Senate Majority Leader, Ahmad Lawan.
Recall that the two chambers of the National Assembly had approved 17 of the 33 bills seeking to alter various provisions of the constitution.
According to the lawmaker, of the 36 state houses of assembly, only Lagos State is yet to forward its resolution on the bills.
He said transmission of the bills would enable institutions of government prepare for immediate implementation of policies and programmes in compliance with Section 9 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended).
He also disclosed that four other bills have been committed to the Conference Committee for further legislative action.
The approved proposals are: Reduction of Executive’s power to engage in extra-budgetary spending from six to three months, financial autonomy for state legislatures, change of the name of Nigeria Police Force to Nigeria Police, Not Too Young to Run Bill, which reviews downward age restrictions for standing in elections and timeline for the preparation of appropriation bill.
Others are: determination of substantive pre-election matters within 180 days, restriction of tenure of President and Governor as well as strengthening the Judiciary for speedy dispensation of justice.
