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The
debate on the review of the 1999 Constitution was yesterday stalled in
the House of Representatives, as most of the members did not come to
the plenary session with their copies of the report of the ad-hoc
committee on the review of the document.

Only nine out of
the 360 members attended the plenary session with their copies,
prompting the Deputy Speaker, Usman Nafada, who presided, to adjourn
the debate till today.

The House had on
Monday announced its plan to continue debate on the report submitted by
its ad-hoc committee chaired by Mr. Nafada last March.

Prior to the
adjournment, it had dissolved into executive session for 45 minutes
during which it discussed some issues, including the method to be
adopted in amending the constitution.

Mr. Nafada reported
after the executive session that members agreed that voting on the
amendment of the document would begin on Thursday, adding that the
process would be aired live on television to enable Nigerians know the
voting pattern of their representatives.

He added that the
lawmakers also resolved that amendment of the Electoral Act would not
be considered until that of the constitution is concluded.

But when the House
eventually dissolved into the Committee of Whole to commence the debate
on the amendment of the constitution, members complained that they did
not have copies of the report to do so. Mr. Nafada was shocked when
only nine members indicated that they had their copies.

“Most members don’t
have copies of the report; only eight or nine members have their
copies,” the Deputy Speaker said. He asked those who had not been given
the report to go to the Committee of Rules and Business to collect same
ahead of the debate today.

No passport photographs

Mr. Nafada also
announced that only 270 cards with which the lawmakers would use to
vote on the amendment, were ready. He, therefore, urged members who
were yet to submit their passport photographs to do so.

Meanwhile, plans by
a member of the House, Bashir Bolarinwa, to “transfer his services”
from Lagos State to Kwara State also generated argument on the floor
yesterday.

Mr. Bolarinwa, who
represents Lagos Mainland federal constituency of Lagos State on the
ticket of the Action Congress (AC), had written the House leadership
informing it of his plan. The letter was read by Mr. Nafada.

But AC leader, Femi Gbajabiamila decried Mr Bolarinwa’s action, insisting that it was unconstitutional.

Relying on Section
68 of the 1999 Constitution, Mr. Gbajabiamila, who himself is from
Lagos State, contended that Mr. Bolarinwa should be ready to lose his
seat in the lower chamber if he went ahead with his plan.

The AC leader
warned the House not to condone illegality, which according to him, Mr.
Bolarinwa was planning to plunge the chamber into.

Mr. Nafada however ruled Mr. Gbajabiamila out of order, saying Mr.
Gbajabiamila did not know if Mr. Bolarinwa’s plan would come into
effect in 2011.