BY OKEY NDIRIBE

ABUJA—The House of Representatives ,yesterday, adopted a resolution directing the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission to advise President Goodluck Jonathan to present a review of the nation’s revenue formula to the National Assembly.

The House also resolved at its plenary that its directive must be complied with within two weeks. Speaker of the House, Aminu Tambuwal, announced that the resolution would be referred to the House’s Committee on Finance to handle.

The directive, which was based on a motion moved Aliyu Madaki is  in line with section 162 (2) of 1999 Constitution.
It would be recalled that the Nigerian Governors Forum recently asked for a review of the revenue formula.

Moving a motion on the floor of the House , Madaki stated that there was need for the House to direct  its Committee on Finance to summon RMAFC to explain why it had not complied with the provisions of the Constitution by advising President Jonathan to table existing revenue formula before the National Assembly for a review.

According to him, section 162(2) of the 1999 Constitution requires the President to receive advice from the commission to table before the National Assembly proposals for revenue allocation from the Federation Account.

He further stated that the existing revenue formula is the “Allocation on Revenue (Federation Account etc) Modification Order 2002” adding that the formula had been reviewed twice without the input of the National Assembly.

His position was endorsed by several lawmakers who contended that it was unconstitutional for the commission not to do so.