The House of Representatives has moved for the confirmation of authenticated Bills before transmission to the President for assent to ensure legislative integrity and accuracy.
This followed the adoption of a motion by Mr. Sada Soli.
Leading the debate on the motion, Mr. Soli said that the House notes the discrepancies in some Bills passed by the National Assembly, specifically allegations that certain provisions are not identical with the original Bill passed by both the Senate and House of
Representatives.
“Also notes the President’s recent decline to assent to a Bill due to errors underscores the need for meticulous verification;
“Aware that all Bills passed by the National Assembly are usually forwarded to the Clerk of the National Assembly for authentication, in accordance with the provisions of the Authentication Act;
“Concerned that the Bills are not always reverted to the Clerks of both Houses for confirmation to ensure that the final version of the Bills accurately reflects the intentions of the National Assembly before transmission to the President for assent;
“Also aware that adopting the Resolution of the House, the House of Representatives will demonstrate its commitment to transparency, accountability and the rule of law, ultimately strengthening the
legislative process and reinforcing public trust in the National Assembly” the motion read.
The House therefore resolves to:
mandate the Clerk to the National Assembly to: revert all authenticated Bills to the Clerks of the Senate and House of Representatives respectively for confirmation before final transmission to the President for assent; ensure that the Clerks of both Houses verify the authenticity and accuracy of Bills passed and forwarded to the President, certifying that no alterations or errors have occurred during the authentication process; and also ensure that this confirmation process be made mandatory for all Bills, including Constitution alteration Bills, to guarantee the integrity and legitimacy of the legislative process.
Reacting to the motion, the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Mr. Benjamin Kalu said that the motion was apt as he has had a personal experience where his bill was distorted.
He noted that there is the need to protect the integrity of the House of Representatives.
Emmanuel Ukoh
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