The House of Representatives Special Ad hoc Committee on the review of the 1999 constitution has approved independent candidacy to stand for elections in Nigeria.
This development came out from the retreat organised by the Policy and Legal Advocacy Centre (PLAC) for members of the committee in Abuja.
After a robust debate on the clause contained in the amendment of the Electoral Act, members agreed that there is need to test independent candidacy in our political space so as to reduce the imposition of candidates by political parties
Addressing members after the retreat, Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt Hon Sulaimon Lasun Yussuff who is the chairman of the committee promised that National Assembly will give Nigerians an enviable Constitution .
The chairman stated that the bill would considered at the plenary so as to have members’ inputs and further subject the clause for a robust debate
The retreat was rounded up last Saturday with an appeal from the chairman to members take the final stage of the amendment process more serious so that National Assembly could give Nigerians a new constitution.
He said that after the retreat, there would be need for the members of the committee to meet the Senate Committee on the Review of the 1999 Constitution in order to harmonize their positions.
