Some very important and sensitive aspects of the Country’s constitution was on Wednesday voted to be amended by members of the Senate based on popular demand from the Public.

Thirty-three bills were sponsored by senators for amendments to various sections of the Constitution.
Here are some of the crucial decisions reached by the senators.
1. Members of the Council of States — adopted.
This amendment was proposed to make former President of the Senate and former Speakers of the House of Representatives members of the influential National Council of State. It was adopted by the senators.
The Council of States currently consists of the President (chairman of the council), the Vice-President (deputy chairman), all former presidents and all former heads of the state, all former Chief Justices of Nigeria, the President of the Senate (incumbent), the Speaker of the House of Representatives (incumbent), all state governors (incumbents), and the Attorney-General of the Federation (incumbent).
2. Authorisation of expenditure — adopted
The president’s power to continue withdrawing funds from consolidated account after expiration of the annual budget has been whittled down from six to three months.
3. Devolution of Power — rejected
Senators rejected this proposition by 90 to five votes when it came up.
4. Financial Autonomy of State Legislature — adopted
Senators approved an amendment that will see state legislators superintend over their own budget, rather than the existing practice that gives governors powers to appropriate expenses of lawmakers.
Federal lawmakers at the National Assembly already enjoy financial autonomy.
5. Special accounts for local government — adopted
The proposal says local government administrators should be allowed to manage their own accounts as against the existing policy in which governors exert powers over allocations to local government areas.
This section, if amended, will allow separate accounts for local governments from states for receiving monthly federal allocation.
6. Democratic existence funding and tenure of LG Council — adopted
This amendment will prohibit constitution of caretaker leadership for LGAs, a tool that critics said governors have exploited to trample on the independence of local government areas.
7. State creation and boundary adjustment — rejected
In a narrow vote of 48-47, senators rejected an amendment to Section 8 of the Constitution that would have allowed only democratically elected local government councils to participate in state creation and adjustment of boundaries amongst states.
The collapsed proposal also sought to clarify identified ambiguities in the procedure for state creation.
8. Immunity for legislators for acts in the course of duty — adopted
Senators voted to give themselves immunity for anything they say on the floor during plenary or when they hold committee briefings, i.e.: they want absolute freedom of speech and expression while on duty.
One senator, however, rejected the amendment. The identity of the senator and reasons for the action are unknown.
9. Conduct of by-elections and power to de-register parties — adopted
The amendment seeks to alter the Constitution to give the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, powers to deregister any political party that fails to meet some criteria, which include failure to win at least one elected seat from councillorship to presidential after a generation election.
10. Presidential assent — adopted
Senators complain that the executive neither rejects, vetoes nor assents to several bills they passed after several months, leaving them confused on the fate of such bills. This proposal seeks to end this by making any bill that is passed by the National Assembly automatically become law if the executive fails to reject, veto or sign it into law after 30 days of transferring same to the president.
11. Time frame for submission of names of ministerial nominees — adopted
Senators recommend that the Constitution must specific portfolio (ministry) to every ministerial nominee for Senate confirmation.
12.Thirty-five percent affirmative action for women as ministers — rejected
Senators rejected mandatory 35 per cent slot for women in the federal cabinet.
13. Submission of commissioner nominees with their portfolios — adopted
An elected governor has 30 days from swearing-in day to name commissioners.
14. Submission of names of office of commissioners shall be attached with portfolio — adopted

The amendment will require the governor to attach specific portfolio (ministry) to every commissioner nominee for House of Assembly confirmation.
15. Appointment of minister from the FCT — adopted
Senators approved constitutional amendment to give a slot to the Federal Capital Territory in the Federal Executive Council. Currently, only the 36 states of the federation are given at least one ministerial slot each in the federal cabinet.
16. Change of names for LGAs — adopted
An amendment proposal for flexibility in the change of name of local government areas was approved by the Senate today.
Changes will be easily effected to spelling and other errors in the name of any local government

See more...http://www.hillscope.com/33-constitution-amendments/

Nothing that improves the lot of the average man,smh.
There was a kwantiri

Beating around the bush since 1960.
These men never knew that soonest these bushland will become desert.

#SMH

They tried this time around. My anger lies on overwhelming rejection of devolution of power. When some folks where hailing the sinators' rejection of this edge of progress in a certain thread in this forum, I shrouded in pity. How do you expect meaningful development in Nigeria if states that bears bulk of the burdens are muzzled by the federal government in this disfavouring federalism and you still wonder why development is not coming forth? States truly have more responsibilities than federal government. That's why there's classification of roads viz federal and state road. Devolution of power with increased federal allocation to the state government and resting some responsibilities to state governments will do us a lot of good and will help FG to concentrate on fewer responsibilities. Another blunder committed by our sinators this time around is giving themselves immunity.

The more reason I want Biafra,

These amendments were just to give more power to the 'sinator',clip the 'wings' of the president and governors.

Where is the amendment of executive and concurrent list?

Scrapping of quota system?

Banning of medical tourism for elected officials.

Where restructuring?

Where is resource control?

CHARADE.