Reps reject referendum on constitution review

Insist on constituency hearings Otedola refuses to testify

Why N’Assembly disagrees with Jonathan, by Senate Leader

THE House of Representatives said on Thursday rejected the option of applying referendum in the ongoing effort to amend the Constitution insisting that it would carry out public hearings in all 360 Federal Constituencies  slated for next.

And against the backdrop of the controversy between the Executive and the Legislature over some national issues, the Senate on Thursday explained that it stems from the ignorance of the fact that presidential system of government is built on controversy.

Senate Leader Victor Ndoma-Egba who stated this position in a chat with journalists in the National Assembly yesterday also said that the National Assembly budget is less than the sums of money allegedly misappropriated in the petroleum subsidy scheme and the pension funds.

House spokesman, Zakari Mohammed, at a press briefing at the National Assembly stated that the Constitution made no provision for the process of referendum to be applied to its amendment.

He stated that having sworn to an oath to defend the constitution at all times, the House of Representatives could not resort to a procedure that was not provided for in the constitution.

The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) had opposed the plan of the House to hold public sessions in 360 constituencies on November 10, saying it would be impossible to get the views of all Nigerians on the constitution at a one-day session.

Its President, Mr. Okey Wali (SAN), said: “There is no way a one-day public hearing as being planned by the House of Representatives in the 360 federal constituencies, will provide the people adequate opportunity to make substantial and tangible inputs aimed at producing a people-oriented document.”

Wali said it was only when a referendum was called to aggregate the wishes and aspirations of a people, that the constitution could be said to be “the people’s constitution”.

Meanwhile, the House Ethics Committee is set to present its reports on alleged $620,000 scandal involving the former chairman of the House Committee on Petroleum Products’ Subsidy probe, Farouk Lawan  and a businessman, Femi Otedola.