The North East Development Commission (NEDC) Bill passed by the National Assembly and transmitted to the President Muhammadu Buhari on January 12th 2017 for assent, has been withdrawn and amended by the Senate after issues in conflict with constitutional provisions were observed.
Presenting the motion titled “Amendment of Seventeen (17) items on the North East Development Commission (Establishment, etc) Bill, 2017” at the plenary session of Thursday, May 18th 2017, Senate Leader, Sen. Ahmad Lawan (APC: Yobe) explained that the procedure for the withdrawal and reconsideration of the Bills was in line with Order 1 (b) of the Senate Standing Orders, 2015 which provides that:
” In all cases not provided for hereinafter or by session or Order practice of the Senate, the Senate shall by resolution regulate its procedure”
He described the cited Order as apt mentioning that there was no defined procedure for the reconsideration of Bills passed by the National Assembly and transmitted to the President for assent.
Accordingly, the Senate at the Committee of the Whole considered and approved the amendments of the Explanatory Memorandum, Arrangement of Sections-Part iv (S. 13 and S. 20), Long Title and Sections 2,5,7,10,12,13,14,15,16,17, 19, 20, 25 and 26 of the Bill. This would be the third Bill withdrawn and amended by the National Assembly after transmission to the President. Others include the National Institute for Cancer Research and Treatment (Est.etc) Bill and the Federal University of Petroleum Resources, Effurun (Est.etc) Bill.
Similar amendments on the NEDC Bill was also considered and approved at the House of Representatives plenary session of 17th May, 2017.
