The House of Representatives on Constitution Review and the Independent National Electoral Commission on Monday agreed that the 2011 elections could be conducted not earlier than 150 days and not later than 30 days to the May 29, 2011 handover date.
The committee and the Chairman of INEC, Prof. Atahiru Jega, agreed to the time frame at a public hearing on the request by the electoral body for time extension in Abuja.
Sections 5, 10, 11 and 17 of the 1999 Constitution (First Alteration) are to be amended to reflect this time frame.
However, there is a slight variation from the initial proposal by INEC, which sought to conduct the poll within a time frame of 90 or 30 days.
The committee increased the ‘upper limit’ (90 days) to 150 days, which was the original limit the National Assembly passed in July when it included a time frame of 150-120 days in the constitution.
It left the lower limit at 30 days, implying a time frame of 150-30 days.
The Deputy Speaker of the House, Alhaji Usman Nafada, who is also the chairman of the committee, said the 150 days time frame was inserted to take care of future elections.
He explained that whenever it was convenient for INEC to conduct elections four to five months before the handover date, it (INEC) would not need to seek another amendment to the constitution.
Speaking further, Nafada stated that “150 days and not later than 30 days is our proposal. In future elections, INEC can choose to conduct elections five months earlier so that we won’t have to continue to alter the constitution.”
Describing the amendment as ‘transitional,’ Nafada added that the House would complete its part of the work this week by voting on the proposal on Wednesday (tomorrow) and passing the bill on Thursday.
“As a National Assembly, in conjunction with the Senate, we shall pass the constitution over to the speakers of state houses of assembly to play their own part,” he said.
He estimated that the whole process would be completed within two weeks, adding, ”The constitution will be gazetted in the next two weeks.”
In his submission, Jega told the committee that he was satisfied with the proposal.
He assured the committee that INEC could review the voter’s register and conduct the 2011 elections within the new time frame with ease.
The INEC chairman said, “We now have a sufficient leeway to address our immediate problems and also take care of future challenges.
“This is commendable on the part of the House of Representatives.”
Under Section 9 of the constitution, a bill for the amendment of the constitution must secure the endorsement of two-thirds of all members of each arm of the National Assembly.
In the case of the House, 240 of the 360 members must vote to approve the amendment on Wednesday.
With the concurrence of the Senate, the bill will be sent to the 36 state houses of assembly for the endorsement of two-thirds (24) of them.
Source:http://www.punchng.com/Articl.aspx?theartic=Art201010264135268
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