By EMMANUEL OLONIRUHA

Abuja School of Social and Political Thought (ASSPT) has urged the National Assembly to rescind its recent decision on State Police Bill and ensure its passage adheres to constitutional provisions.

Director of the school, Dr Sam Amadi, said this at a news conference on Tuesday in Abuja.

Amadi expressed concern over the procedure adopted by the national assembly in the passage of the bill, describing it as a breach of constitutional guidelines.

He said that although ASSPT did not oppose legislative reforms and the power of NASS to amend laws, the process adopted in the passage of the bill violated Section 9(2) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended).

According to Amadi, constitutional amendments require a strict, recorded two-thirds majority vote by elected members of both legislative chambers rather than a voice vote.

“We watched with keen interest and dismay the procedure by which the House of Representatives passed the state police bill.

“Section 9(2) stipulates clearly that an amendment to the constitution must be by the approval of two-thirds of the members,” he said.

Amadi said what happened was that the national assembly had the first and second reading the same day.

He said that although there was no public hearing during the process, the speaker used voice vote in spite of the protests by minority members calling for head count.

Citing the 1984 Supreme Court ruling in Attorney-General of Bendel State v. Attorney-General of the Federation, Amadi said any law passed without adherence to the constitutional voting process remained null and void.

He noted that democratic erosion often occurred when elected officials undermined constitutional processes under the guise of law-making.

“I want to call on the leadership of the national assembly to go back and do the right thing.

“It doesn’t take more than three, four days for them to do clause-by-clause consideration of the provisions and then vote; not voice vote—vote.

“If that vote holds, then they go to the states. If the states support, then it becomes law,” Amadi said.

He said that the school would hold a stakeholders’ workshop to examine critical issues surrounding the proposed state policing system.

Amadi listed the issues to include operational accountability, transition management and safeguards against political misuse. (NAN)

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