A Bill already gazetted by the House of Representatives and exclusively
obtained by Sunday Mirror is in the works, to make the procedure for impeaching
President and Vice-President less tedious and easier.
The Bill is short-titled “An Act to Alter the Provisions of Section 143 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 to Remove Ambiguities in the Process of Removal of the President and the Vice President from Office on Allegations of Gross Misconduct.”
The Bill is being sponsored by Hon. Yakubu Dogara (PDP-Bauchi) and two others. Dogara, an international lawyer and Chairman of the Committee on House Services, also seeks to make the lower Chamber the impeaching House, while the Senate would after the President or his Deputy’s impeachment, set up a quasi-judicial panel presided over by the Chief Justice of Nigeria and comprising lawmakers acting as prosecutors, before a final verdict either nails or exonerates the President or a V-P.
The Bill states in part: “The President or Vice-President shall be removed from office on allegations of gross misconduct in accordance with the provisions of this section.”
The Bill seeks to amend sub-section 2 of 143 to read that, “Whenever the Committee of the House of Representatives in charge of Judiciary decides on whether or not to proceed with impeachment proceedings against the holder of the office of the President or Vice President on allegations of gross misconduct.
According to the Bill, “the Chairman of the Committee on Judiciary of the House of Representatives shall propose a motion to begin an inquiry into such allegations of gross misconduct, and if the motion is passed by a simple majority of the House, the Committee shall be mandated to carry out an inquiry into the allegations.”
The Bill further proposes that “The committee on Judiciary upon conclusion of such an inquiry shall present its findings to the whole House, stating that impeachment is warranted encompassed in Articles of Impeachment, or that impeachment is not called for”.
The House also seeks to see the process through, in line with rules drawn by its Committee on Business and Rules and to sack the President and his Vice by a simple majority. “If any Article of Impeachment so considered by the House of Representatives is approved or passed by a simple majority vote of members been present and voting, the President or Vice-President shall be impeached”.
The Bill adds that “Upon the impeachment of the holder of the office by the House of Representatives, the Speaker shall within 7 days transmit the House Resolution to the Senate for Trial”, and also “The Shall within fourteen days of the receipt of the House Resolution conduct a trial to be presided over by the Chief Justice of Nigeria, with a select Committee of the House of the House members serving as prosecutors.
The Bill in part, however proposes that the impeached Executive “shall have the right to defend himself in person and be represented before the Senate by Legal Practitioners of his choice”.
The Senate, on its part would vote after the trial process is exhausted by a 2/3 to oust the President or his vice. One of the drafters of the piece of legislation who spoke with Sunday Mirror at the weekend, said the Bill was made in line with the procedure for impeachment of the Executive in the United States of America. He said “The idea is to make impeaching the President easier and more democratic.”
He added, “The Bill though is not targetted at any particular person, the present times call for an easier process of impeachment”.
The Bill is short-titled “An Act to Alter the Provisions of Section 143 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 to Remove Ambiguities in the Process of Removal of the President and the Vice President from Office on Allegations of Gross Misconduct.”
The Bill is being sponsored by Hon. Yakubu Dogara (PDP-Bauchi) and two others. Dogara, an international lawyer and Chairman of the Committee on House Services, also seeks to make the lower Chamber the impeaching House, while the Senate would after the President or his Deputy’s impeachment, set up a quasi-judicial panel presided over by the Chief Justice of Nigeria and comprising lawmakers acting as prosecutors, before a final verdict either nails or exonerates the President or a V-P.
The Bill states in part: “The President or Vice-President shall be removed from office on allegations of gross misconduct in accordance with the provisions of this section.”
The Bill seeks to amend sub-section 2 of 143 to read that, “Whenever the Committee of the House of Representatives in charge of Judiciary decides on whether or not to proceed with impeachment proceedings against the holder of the office of the President or Vice President on allegations of gross misconduct.
According to the Bill, “the Chairman of the Committee on Judiciary of the House of Representatives shall propose a motion to begin an inquiry into such allegations of gross misconduct, and if the motion is passed by a simple majority of the House, the Committee shall be mandated to carry out an inquiry into the allegations.”
The Bill further proposes that “The committee on Judiciary upon conclusion of such an inquiry shall present its findings to the whole House, stating that impeachment is warranted encompassed in Articles of Impeachment, or that impeachment is not called for”.
The House also seeks to see the process through, in line with rules drawn by its Committee on Business and Rules and to sack the President and his Vice by a simple majority. “If any Article of Impeachment so considered by the House of Representatives is approved or passed by a simple majority vote of members been present and voting, the President or Vice-President shall be impeached”.
The Bill adds that “Upon the impeachment of the holder of the office by the House of Representatives, the Speaker shall within 7 days transmit the House Resolution to the Senate for Trial”, and also “The Shall within fourteen days of the receipt of the House Resolution conduct a trial to be presided over by the Chief Justice of Nigeria, with a select Committee of the House of the House members serving as prosecutors.
The Bill in part, however proposes that the impeached Executive “shall have the right to defend himself in person and be represented before the Senate by Legal Practitioners of his choice”.
The Senate, on its part would vote after the trial process is exhausted by a 2/3 to oust the President or his vice. One of the drafters of the piece of legislation who spoke with Sunday Mirror at the weekend, said the Bill was made in line with the procedure for impeachment of the Executive in the United States of America. He said “The idea is to make impeaching the President easier and more democratic.”
He added, “The Bill though is not targetted at any particular person, the present times call for an easier process of impeachment”.
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Politics
Concentrate on oversight functions that will bring dividends of democracy to the people than bills that will bring personal benefits during impeachment process.
ReplyDeleteFoolish people who have no idea of wat it takes to be leader.
ReplyDeleteHere they go again,who will make a bill to remove NASS members who soiled their hands in corrupt practices? who will make bill for easy removal of NASS member who is representing his family rather than his constituency? House of thieves.
ReplyDeletewhat is wrong with Jonathan ruling our nation he is not the one that put him seif in this position is God so pls let's support him and stop blackmailing him please we should all put our seif in his shoe please the man is trying his best for all of us in Nigeria all of us don't know what this man is pasting through we don't care for him and his family always putting blem on him as if is easy to rule please nigerian let's pray for our president and our nation to have peace so that we can move forward.
ReplyDeleteKnwledge is eterna,is there anything wrong to ask question about what you dont know.
ReplyDelete