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Fri, Mar

Senate

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The President of the Senate, Dr. Bukola Saraki, has stated that presidential assent was an unnecessary addition to the process of amendment of the Constitution.


Speaking to newsmen in Abuja, Saraki said the 8th National Assembly approved the removal of presidential assent to an amended constitution based on the conviction that it was unnecessary.

The 7th Assembly had in 2015, while reviewing the 1999 Constitution, approved the removal of presidential assent from the process of the amendment, which was rejected by then president, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, who refused to assent to the amendment.

However, Saraki said that going by the process of amending the Constitution, the final decision of federal and state legislatures should be seen as the decision of the people.

He said: “Well, to me, if two-thirds of the National Assembly agrees to something and two-thirds of the state assemblies also agree, in my view, the President should accept that as the wish of the people.

Saraki ask: “Does he really need to assent? Personally, I don’t think so; that is my personal view, because with two-third of National Assembly, two-third of states’ assemblies, the people have spoken,”

The Senate President added that the senate would follow the amendment process in the states to ensure that there was wide consultation and sensitisation.

 

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