Eve of 2023 Guber Polls, Buhari Signs 16 Bills into Law with Serious Implications

• President Muhammadu Buhari has signed into law not less than 16 constitutional amendment bills sent to him by the National Assembly
• The signed bills have serious implications for local governments across Nigeria, electricity, prisons, and judiciaries
• The news of the signed bill was announced by a presidential media aide, Tolu Ogunlesi, on Friday, March 17

President Muhammadu Buhari, on Friday, March 17, signed 16 constitutional amendment bills into law.

The presidency announced this crucial feat by the President Buhari-led administration through a presidential media aide, Tolu Ogunlesi.

The signing of the bill, of course, comes with serious implications for the judiciary, the transportation sector, the prisons, local governments, and other aspects of governance at various levels.

Judiciaries and railways

By this signing, State Houses of Assembly and judiciaries now have constitutionally guaranteed financial independence, while railways have moved from Exclusive Legislative List to the Concurrent List.

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With Railways moving from exclusive to concurrent, it means rail is no longer an exclusive preserve of the federal government and the National Assembly. States will now be able to make laws regulating the establishment and operation of rail services within their territory. Interstate rail will remain the government's responsibility.

Electricity

Moreover, with Buhari's assent to the bills, states can now generate, transmit and distribute electricity in areas covered by the national grid.

Prisons

Prisons, now known as correctional services, have been moved from the Exclusive Legislative List to the Concurrent List.

This means that states now have the power to establish correctional and custodial facilities, and State Assemblies have the power to legislate on such.

Ministers, commissioners

A major change to the constitution mandates the president and governors "to submit the names of persons nominated as Ministers or Commissioners within sixty days of taking the oath of office for confirmation by the Senate or State House of Assembly.

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27 State Assemblies finally forward constitutional amendment bills to NASS

On Tuesday, January 24, 2023, 27 State Houses of Assembly forwarded their resolutions on 35 constitutional amendment bills to the National Assembly.

The Senate had consequently directed the Clerk of the National Assembly to transmit the 35 constitutional amendment bills, that have so far met the requirement of the provision of section 9(2) of the constitution, to President Muhammadu Buhari for assent.

The upper chamber also asked the nine remaining state Houses of Assembly that are yet to forward their resolutions on the constitutional amendment bills to do so to fulfil their constitutionally imposed legislative obligation.

Source: Legit.ng