The Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Mr. Zakari Mohammed, who disclosed this in Abuja on Thursday, also added that the 36 states’ Houses of Assembly would submit their report on the proposed amendments to the 1999 Constitution to the National Assembly on Friday (today).
The House described the alleged purchase of the six warships by Tompolo as “scary,” saying that it raised security concerns at a time the country was facing tough security challenges.
Although, the Nigerian Navy said on Wednesday that the warships belonged to NIMASA, a Federal Government agency, Mohammed said the House would be interested in knowing how a private individual was now performing a function that was statutorily the Navy’s.
“That function should have been performed by the Navy.
“When we resume in January, our relevant committees will be looking into the issue,” he added.
Mohammed recalled that, two years ago, the House moved to investigate a pipeline security contract the government awarded to Tompolo, but it was portrayed as going against the Executive.
“Each time we talk in the House, we are like a bunch of nuisances.
“We had raised this issue of involving private individuals in our waterways in the past, but the House was not taken seriously.
“Now, we are where we are today,” he stated.
On the submission of report on the proposed amendments to the 1999 Constitution by states’ lawmakers to the National Assembly, Mohammed said, “The states’ Houses of Assemblies are submitting their report tomorrow (today).
He added, “To us in the National Assembly, that will be keeping a promise we earlier made at the beginning of the 7th Assembly to amend the constitution.”
The Senate and the House of Representatives had passed about 70 new clauses to the constitution last October.
Among the highlights of the new clauses are autonomy for local government councils, the removal of immunity (against criminal prosecution) for the President and governors, the rejection of state police and the approval of independent candidature during elections.
The National Assembly also agreed to split the offices of the Minister of Justice and the Attorney-General of the Federation, while the Office of the Auditor-General of the Federation was placed on First Line Charge of the Consolidated Revenue Fund of the Federation.
In keeping with Section 9 of the constitution, the amendments were forwarded to the state assemblies for their “approval.”
The constitution further provides that two-thirds (24) of the assemblies must approve every item of amendment for it to succeed for inclusion in the new constitution.
After the states submit their report, the National Assembly will still pass it in the final lap of the amendment process.
It is still unclear which of the clauses passed by the National Assembly secured the approval of 24 assemblies.
However, in states like Edo, the refusal of the state assembly to approve local government autonomy is already a subject of protests in Benin, the state capital.
Source: THEPUNCH
