Nigeria Content Online

The National
Assembly yesterday suspended the planned submission of state assembly
resolutions on the constitution amendment, after more than 10 states
failed to transmit the vital document needed to complete the amendment.

An elaborate event
to submit the document, organised Thursday at the House of
Representatives and attended by the senate president, David Mark; the
House speaker, Dimeji Bankole and the two deputies, Ike Ekweremadu and
Usman Nafada, was cancelled after lawmakers said only 22 states have
turned-in their reviews.

Istafinus Gbana,
the Chairman of the conference of state speakers and the speaker,
Taraba State House of Assembly, who was billed to present the documents
to Mr. Mark, said the states were duly informed of the date and will
now have one week to complete their work. “I deeply regret this, that
today, we are not in a position to transmit the resolutions of the 36
states,” Mr. Gbana said Thursday, confirming earlier doubts on the
preparedness of the state legislatures who have recently had days of
contentious hearings on the amendments proposals.

The development has
further widened the uncertainties that have clouded the final passage
of the 2010 amendments, which is expected to be central to the 2011
general elections.*

Sympathy with frustration

Deputy Senate
president and the Senate chairman of the amendment adhoc committee, Mr.
Ekweremadu said he had held consultations for days with the state
speakers and the chairman of the conference of speakers, before
announcing the date for the final submission of the documents and that,
during each discussion, he received assurances that the resolutions of
the states would be ready by Thursday morning, which was scheduled for
the transmission at the House of Representatives.

The Thursday event
had already progressed for a while before officials of the conference
of speakers arrived to announce the failure to collate more than 22
states.

Mr. Ekweremadu said
he “sympathised with the frustration” the defaulting states have forced
on the conference of speakers, and hoped the submission will finally
hold at a later date.

The states yet to
submit their resolutions (even though Mr. Gbana would not give their
names) are now to complete every procedure and turn in the document
within one week, for final transmission, he said.

The constitution requires 24 states to support the amendments to
become law. Mr. Gbana said the group of speakers will proceed with the
submission whether or not states still default.