Breaking: Reps ask NGF to disregard Senate report on constitution amendment

—As govs meet lower chamber next week

By Johnbosco Agbakwuru

ABUJA – THE House of Representatives has told the Nigeria Governors Forum to disregard the presentation made by the senate to the forum as harmonized position of the two houses, saying that there had not been any harmonisation by the two houses.

Consequently, the NGF has invited the Speaker of the house, Yakubu Dogara or his representative to appear next week to give the version of the house before the forum could take any position.

The Chairman of NGF and governor of Zamfara state, Abdulaziz Yari who disclosed this last night after the emergency meeting of NGF said that the governors wanted to do something for posterity sake in view of the agitations in the country.

Briefing State House correspondents after the meeting, Yari said, ” The meeting is just one item agenda, that is the review of Nigeria constitution. If you can remember last time, the Deputy Senate President was here with us to brief us on the harmonized position of the  two houses for the task schedule of the amendment of the Nigeria constitution. Because of its importance, we decided to hold this extra ordinary meeting so that we could deliberate.

“We had actually wanted to invite the Conference of Speakers so that we can collectively look at what was submitted for the betterment of the nation. As we agree the constitution is being amended for posterity and not for any other interest.

“Therefore, the information we are having from the House of Representatives is that the position is Senate position, it is not harmonized.

“So probably by next week, that is on the 18th, the Speaker of the House of Representatives or his representative will come and make his own presentation to us so that we look at to.

“By the way, there are so many issues of national interest, devolution of power, political agitations were not taken into considerations in that amendment.

“We as governors we are looking as important so that will be taken as interest of the nation as leaders so that we can move the country forward.”