In separate responses to THISDAY’s inquiries Saturday, ex-President of Nigerian Bar Association, Chief Joseph Daudu (SAN); a human rights lawyer, Dr. Mike Ozekhome (SAN); former Lagos State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr. Adeniji Kazeem (SAN), and a seasoned lawyer, Mr. Kunle Adegoke (SAN) urged the federal lawmakers to override the president’s decision.
The debate arose from Buhari’s decision to withhold assent to 16 of the 32 amendment bills to the 1999 Constitution, which the National Assembly recently presented to him for assent.
President Buhari signed 16 other constitutional amendment bills into law. One of the laws Buhari signed empowers state governments to generate, transmit and distribute electricity within their territories under the new regime.
Another law also empowers the federating units nationwide to undertake railway projects without undue interference from the federal government.
While the senior lawyers largely disagreed over whether or not the president could withhold assent to the Constitution Alteration Bills, 2023, they agreed that the lawmakers are constitutionally empowered to reconsider the amendment bills and override Buhari’s exercise of presidential veto.
Faulting Buhari’s resolve to withhold assent to the 16 constitution alteration bills, Falana explained that there are two sections of the 1999 Constitution, which according to him, provided for the alteration of the constitution and the amendment of other regular bills from the National Assembly.
He first cited Section 9 of the 1999 Constitution, which “absolutely empowers the National Assembly and 36 State Houses of Assembly to alter any part of the constitution. This section does not make provision for the president to withhold assent,” Falana said.
