House May Rescind Passage of Amendment of CCT/CCB Act

Damilola Oyedele in Abuja
Following the uproar generated by the transfer of the powers to appoint the Chairman of the Code of Conduct Bureau and Tribunal from the President to the National Assembly, the House of Representatives may reverse its passage of amendment to the CCT Act.

The Majority Leader, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila raising a point of order at plenary yesterday, said there is a constitutional provision on the same amendment.

The National Assembly, in amending the CCT Act on the procedure of appointing the Chairman of the Tribunal and tenure, did not take into consideration the existing provision of 1999 constitution (fifth schedule, section 15, sub-section 2) which empowers the President to appoint the Chairman of the CCT.

The amendment to the Act is therefore in conflict with the constitution.
Gbajabiamila noted that some months ago (May 2016) when 40 bills were passed in one day, the contents and clauses were not thoroughly examined.

Hon. Kingsley Chinda (Rivers PDP) however raised a point of order to the effect that since the amendment has already been passed, to reverse it, has to be by way of a substantive motion.

Ruling, Speaker of the House, Hon. Yakubu Dogara said re-opening the discussion has to be through a substantive motion.

“No one is saying we cannot reverse ourselves, but it has to be by a substantive motion, so that everyone would be ready and no one would be ambushed. We would debate it again and take a decision on whether to rescind it,” Dogara said.