Bill demands president to name cabinet in 30 days
By Henry Omunu
A bill for a law to compel a president to name his cabinet within a month or risk being impeached from office has been initiated and was read in the House of Representatives on Wednesday.
Apart from the formation of a cabinet, the bill also seeks to establish a special fund for the presidential transition team and to also compel state governors to also name their cabinets within the same time frame.
Entitled “Transition and assumption of office bill, 2020,” the legislation is sponsored by Rep. Kpam Sokpo (PDP/ Benue).
The bill states in part that: “Subject to Sections 147 and 302 of the constitution, the President shall on assumption of office, appoint ministers within 30 days from the date he took the oath of office.
“The President shall constitute and appoint all boards of government agencies and parastatals that are due for constitution and appointment within two months from the date of his assumption of office.”
However, the bill provides that “where the President fails to comply with the provisions of this section without any justifiable reason, he shall be guilty of a misconduct as provided under Section 143 (2) (b) of the constitution.”
Also, the bill states in Section 8 (1) that there shall be a transition and assumption of office fund for the administration of the transition committee into which shall be paid such sums as shall be appropriated by the National Assembly for the purpose of transition and assumption of office in a presidential election year.
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It further adds that “the president shall apply the funds appropriated by the National Assembly to the cost of establishing and maintaining the office of the coordinator appointed under this bill, including the payment of allowances and other benefits of the members of the committee.”
The bill also proposes that the office shall pay allowances and other benefits of the members of the transition committee, pay the emolument and entitlement of the coordinator and other members of staff of the presidential estates unit established in this bill, publicize the activities of the committee, and undertake any other activity in connection with all or any of the functions of the committee.
