Attendance Stalls Senate’s Debate on Constitution Amendment

Posted by African Examiner Featured, Latest Headlines Wednesday, October 15th, 2014

Ayodele Afolabi, Abuja

The failure of the Senate to meet the required two/third majority attendance yesterday stalled the expected debate on constitution amendment in the upper legislative chamber.

To this end, the Senate, which had scheduled the consideration of the report of its conference committee on the review of the 1999 constitution for Wednesday, deferred the exercise to Tuesday next week.

Constitutionally for a decision to be taken by any chamber of the parliament on constitution amendment, the lawmakers in the respective chamber must attain a two/third majority quorum, which in the case of Senate, is seventy two senators.

Though the item was listed on the order paper yesterday for consideration, but sensing that going on to consider the report without attaining the required quorum would amount to illegality, the Senate leader, Victor Ndoma Egba, therefore moved the motion that Senate deferred the item to another day.

In his remarks, the Senate President, David Mark, said that two-third of senators are not present to ensure that they have required numbers of lawmakers as stated in the constitution before the report can be considered.

He said: “We don’t have required number of Senators, I will suggest that we take this report by next week Tuesday, if we don’t have required number of Senators, the item cannot be considered”.

It could be recalled that the Chairman, Senate Joint Committee on Review of 1999 constitution, Senator Ike Ekweremadu assured that the report of the committee will be transferred to State Houses of Assembly after Sallah.