President Goodluck Jonathan has rejected the amendments made to the 1999 Constitution by the National Assembly, The PUNCH has learnt.
A top government official who pleaded anonymity told our correspondent on Tuesday that Jonathan vetoed the amendment on Monday.........
The official said the decision of the
President not to sign the document was because the amendment did not
meet the provisions of Section 9 (3) of the 1999 Constitution. The source explained that with the return
of the document by the President, the letter accompanying it might be
read on the floors of the two chambers of the National Assembly any time
from Wednesday (today).
He said, “The President has vetoed the constitution amendment and he has sent it back to the National Assembly. “The amendment did not meet the provision
of Section 9 (3) of the constitution which talks about the need for
four fifth of the National Assembly to agree with the amendment.”
Section 9 (3) of the Constitution reads:
“An Act of the National Assembly for the
purpose of altering the provisions of this section, section 8 or Chapter
IV of this Constitution shall not be passed by either House of the
National Assembly unless the proposal is approved by the votes of not
less than four-fifths majority of all the members of each House, and
also approved by resolution of the House of Assembly of not less than
two-third of all states.”
The rejected amended constitution granted
approval for the separation of the office of the Attorney-General of
the Federation from that of Minister/Commissioner of Justice
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