Govs reject financial autonomy for legislative arm

By Emeka Mamah

The 36 State Governors in the country have rejected the proposal by the National Assembly (NASS) that Nigerians seeking elective officers must possess  a minimum of Ordinary National Diploma (OND). They have also rejected financial autonomy for the legislature in the states.

The Governors were said to have deliberated on the 48 proposed amendments to the 1990 constitution by the NASS and  rejected the section dealing with minimum educational qualifications as well as 13 other items including financial independence of the legislature.

The position of the governors is contained in a 45 page document entitled, “NGF position on the harmonized constitution (First Amendment Bill) 2010” and circulated among principal officers of the 36 states house of Assembly in the country for ratification. The governors met under the aegis of the Nigerian Governors’ Forum (NGF).

At the governors meeting, some northerners were said to have raised the fears that adopting the NASS position on qualifications could deny the north fair representation by experienced but less qualified aspirants.

Other areas rejected by the governors are Section 68 (1A) which deals with cross carpeting. The section stipulates that members of the state and national assemblies who decamp from the parties that sponsored them into the various houses to another political party should lose their seats. Areas adopted by the governors were marked Yes, while those rejected were marked No.