Bills on state/LG police, others scale 2nd reading in House of Reps

Credit: NAN

The bills seeking creation of State and Local Governments Police, Special Legislative Seats for Persons With Disability (PWD) and Special Interest Groups scaled second reading in the House of Representatives on Tuesday.

The bills were among the 39 constitutional amendment bills seeking judicial and legislative security as well as electoral reforms, sponsored by different members of the house and passed without debate.

The bills, according to the house, are as listed below:

“Bill for an Act to Alter the Constitution to provide for special seats for the physically challenged persons in Nigeria’s Federal, State and Local Government Areas and Legislative Houses and for related matters”, sponsored by Rep. Tajudeen Abbas and Rep. Marcus Onobun;

“Bill for an Act to Alter the Constitution to provide for six special seats for special interest groups in the House of Representatives and for related matters”, sponsored by Rep. Akintunde Rotimi (APC-Ekiti);

“Bill for An Act to Alter the Constitution to provide for the establishment of State Police and Local Government Police and for related matters”, sponsored by Rep. Francis Waive (APC-Delta) and Rep. Akintunde Rotimi (APC-Ekiti);

“Bill an Act to Alter the Constitution to permit public servants to engage in healthcare education, production and services beyond farming and for related matters”, sponsored by Rep. Ahmed Wase (APC- Plateau);

“Bill for an Act to alter the Constitution to ensure gender equality in the composition of the Federal Character Commission and for related matters”, by Rep. Kaftlat Ogbara (APC-Lagos);

“Bill for an Act to Alter the Constitution to establish and empower the Political Parties Registration and Regulatory Commission to register, regulate and monitor the organisation and operation of political parties, and for related matters”, by Rep. Aminu Daura (APC-Katsina);

“Bill for an Act to Alter the Constitution to confer jurisdiction on the Federal High Court to try offences arising from violations of the Electoral Act and any other Related Act of the National Assembly”, Rep. Muktar Shagaya (APC-Kwara);

“Bill for an Act to Alter the Constitution to provide for transition of substantive heads of Courts in Nigeria and to strengthen the procedure for removal of judicial officers in order to guaranteed the independence of the judiciary; and for related matters”; and

“Bill for an Act to alter sections 68(1) (g) &109(1)(g) of the Constitution to require the official resignation from a political party before defection by members of the National Assembly and State House of Assembly and for related matters”, by Rep. Adebayo Balogun (APC-Lagos).

In his ruling, the Deputy Speaker, Rep. Benjamin Kalu, who presided over the plenary, referred all the 39 bills to the Committee on Review of the Constitution for further legislative actions.