Fears over Senate bid to strip Buhari of powers
There is anxiety in the polity over plans by the Nigerian Senate, through the ongoing constitution amendment to strip President Muhammadu Buhari of powers of assent.
The Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Ike Ekweremadu had revealed plans by the Senate committee on constitution review to strip President of powers of assent at its recent retreat in Lagos at the weekend.
Political observers believe that the move is an indication that there is no unity of purpose between the executive and the legislature.
Ekweremadu said the former President Goodluck Jonathan did not sign the Fourth Alteration Bill into law, which would strip the president of powers to veto any bill before the expiration of his tenure hence it would be reconsidered with fresh inputs.
He also said: “A bill to amend any portion of the constitution is not an ordinary bill. It is the only bill that requires the two-thirds majority of each Chamber of the National Assembly to pass in the first instance. It is also the only bill that requires the approval of two-thirds of the States Assembly to pass.
He said that Presidential veto of any bill is a mockery of sovereignty which is the power of the people to exhibit their power through their representatives in the parliaments.
He equally said that Nigerians would have argued that the Constitution would make explicit prescriptions on how such veto could be reversed, if it were the intentions of the framers of the Constitution for one man or woman to veto a constitution amendment.”
