AC tackles Senate on Constitution amendments

LAGOS—The Action Congress, AC, has described as self-serving and totally inexplicable some of the constitutional amendments made by the Senate in recent days, urging the House of Representatives and the State Houses of Assembly to take a serious look at the Senate amendments when they consider them.

In a statement issued in Lagos, yesterday, by its National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, the party listed some of the areas of concern as the amendment raising academic qualification for contestants to tertiary level certificate; freedom for legislators to cross-carpet; allowing those indicted for fraud and other offences to run for office and retaining the power of the President to appoint the INEC Chairman.

“We have taken the pains to find out what influenced our Distinguished Senators to make these amendments,  and we are miffed, to say the least, at the reasoning behind the amendments,’’ it said.

“The Senate will have to look for another reason to convince Nigerians that it is not acting against their (Nigerians) interest, as far as efforts to ensure free, fair, transparent and credible elections are concerned,’’ the party said.

On the amendment allowing indicted persons to contest, AC said it was self-serving and based on narrow considerations.