Nigerians reject single tenure, new states, others

Nigerians have rejected single tenure of seven years for President, state creation and 20 other proposals, according to a report by the House of Representatives.

The Constitution Amendment consultation report also shows that Nigerians do not want immunity for governors on criminal matters.

They have asked the National Assembly to grant immunity to governors on civil cases.

The report on the poll survey conducted by the House of Representatives Committee on Constitution Review, scheduled for presentation last week, was deferred at the last minute following tension over the outcome of the survey.

Although there were allegations of doctoring, the House leadership yesterday said such insinuations were false and unfounded.

The House said it only needed time to study the votes before consideration by the plenary.

According to the report, which our correspondent stumbled upon, 21 of the 43 proposals presented to Nigerians were accepted and 22 rejected.

Some of the 22 rejected proposals are as follows: state creation; state Police; five, six, seven years single tenure; 20 per cent derivation for oil producing states; states stopped from controlling 50 per cent of their resources; no voting by Nigerians in the Diaspora; no to two tiers of government; and true Federalism not realistic.

The proposals endorsed by Nigerians are autonomy for local governments; financial autonomy for Houses of Assembly; abolition of State Joint Account as in Section 162(6) of the Constitution; abolition of State Independent Electoral Commissions (SIECs); and creation of Office of the AGF. The others are Minister of Justice to operate outside the AGF; a separate Accountant-General of the Federation for the Federation Accounts Allocation Committee (FAAC); fresh electoral reforms to fix time limit for elections, by-elections, electoral petitions; Federal Government to withhold allocations for unelected local government chairmen (caretaker chairmen); constitutional roles for traditional rulers; indigeneship for those who have resided in an area for a long period; and no immunity for governors on criminal cases.

The report reads in part: “The voters asked the National Assembly to amend Section 162(6) of the 1999 Constitution to abolish Joint Account in states so that the allocations of Local Government Areas can be paid directly to them. They said allocation should not be given to unelected local government chairmen. Instead, they voted that the Federal Government should withhold the allocations of local government areas with caretaker chairmen.

“They also voted overwhelmingly for financial autonomy for the state Houses of Assembly to ensure the independence of the legislature.

“They voted for the reform of the judiciary for quicker dispensation of justice. That the constitution be amended to separate the Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation from the Minister of Justice for speedy dispensation of justice.

“A separate Office of the Accountant General of the Federation for the Federation Account Allocation Committee to give the nation a true picture of its revenues and disbursement. This is necessary so that there will be equity.

“There should be time limit for conducting elections, by-elections and electoral petitions. Section 197(1) (b) should be amended to abolish State Independent Electoral Commissions (SIECs).

“Traditional rulers should be given a constitutional role. For a Nigerian to be an indigene of any place, he or she should have resided in an area for a long period and be accorded accompanying right.”

On rejected proposals, the report said: “Most of the respondents voted against state creation, state police, five, six, seven years single tenure; 20 per cent derivation for oil producing states.

“They also said states should be stopped from controlling 50 per cent of their resources; no voting by Nigerians in the Diaspora; and no to two tiers of government.”

A source involved in the collation said: “The votes have reflected the wishes of Nigerians.

“We will release the voting pattern so that Nigerians will know that the poll was scientifically conducted.

“If there is tension about the report, it borders only on state creation. That is why some people are insinuating that the report has been doctored.”

The Chairman of the House Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Rep Zakari Mohammed, who spoke with our correspondent, however, denied that the results were doctored.

He said the House deferred the consideration of the report on the survey to have more time to study it.

He said: “There is no question of doctoring or killing the report of the poll. We only need time to study the votes and I am assuring you that the report will soon be presented to the House.

“So, the issue of doctoring does not arise. Everybody wanted to be sure that what was voted for in his or her constituency is reflected in the report.”