President Goodluck Jonathan’s letter to the National Assembly,  rejecting amendments to the 1999 Constitution, which was read on the floor of Senate on Wednesday by Senate President, David Mark, was received with shock by some members, who openly expressed surprise at the reasons why the President vetoed the bill.

Chairman,  Senate Committee on the Review of the 1999 Constitution (4th Alteration Bill 2015),  Senator Ike Ekweremadu, announced that his members would hold a two-day retreat from Wednesday to Thursday to review the development.

Efforts by  members to subject Jonathan’s letter to debate were frustrated by the Senate President, who said there was the need for them to have a copy of the letter each before they would be able to make meaningful contribution.

But  Senator Abubakar Yar’Adua (Katsina Central) raised a point of order and insisted that the issue be discussed because of the serious fundamental issues raised by Jonathan, which affected the integrity of the National Assembly.

Yar’Adua said, “I think it is important for us to discuss that letter and see whether there is need for us to consider the letter or not.

“I think the President  has raised very serious fundamental issues, especially in terms of our conscience as lawmakers and his own position as the chief executive officer of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. That is why I am raising this point or order.”

Although Mark agreed with Yar’Adua that the letter should be extensively discussed, he maintained that the debate could only be meaningful after members would have studied the letter at home.

Mark said,  “Obviously, this letter is not like any other normal letter. We can’t discuss the letter unless you have a copy of it. So, the first reaction is for me to make copies available to everybody and you go and study it.

“If you notice that there is an announcement also by the Constitution Review Committee that they(members) are going to meet. So, that will straight away go to them. I agree with you that weighty issues have been raised. It’s a peculiar case; so everybody will be involved.”

Our correspondent observed that the members had started the retreat and will come up with their position, which would also enable the Senate to take appropriate action on the issue.

Jonathan, had in the letter, said he would not assent to the amendments because they did not satisfy the strict requirements of Section 9(3) of the 1999 Constitution.

He queried the decision of the National Assembly to whittle down some Executive powers of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

He also faulted some amendments which will give Executive powers and duties to the Legislature and the Judiciary.

Jonathan made his position known in a seven-page letter to Senate President David Mark and House of Representatives Speaker Aminu Tambuwal.

The President listed 12 errors in the amendments.

They are •Non-compliance with the threshold specified in Section 9(3) of the 1999 Constitution on amendments;•Alteration to constitution cannot be valid with mere voice votes unless supported by the votes of not less than four-fifths majority all members of National Assembly and two-thirds of all the 36 State Houses of Assembly.

Others are, the Right to free basic education and primary and maternal care services imposed on private institutions; •Flagrant violation of the doctrine of separation of powers; •Unjustified whittling down of the Executive powers of the Federation vested in the President by virtue of Section 5(1) of the 1999 Constitution;• and 30 days allowed for assent of the President.

http://www.punchng.com/news/jonathans-letter-on-constitution-amendment-shocks-senate/

BKD

I see impeachment looming,...he has been wrongly advised ...
No motivation to work again for the defeated PDP presidential candidate
This jonathan government sef

Does Gej still think those executive powers are meant for him to use? No doubt the clueless one was instructed by his "advisers" against signing it because it was a ploy by the opposition to reduce his presidential powers and "sabotage" his government

They should send it back to him the next time he gets drunk.

Meanwhile, someone please remind him that Nigerians won't require his catastrophic signature on such sensitive documents after May 29th.

He queried the decision of the National Assembly to whittle down some Executive powers of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

I disagree with this position, the president has too much powers, devolution of power is my mantra.

Keneking:
I see impeachment looming

Is this wretch OK?

GEJ..Nigerians will need u in 2019

If he had been doing things the right way from the beginning, I don't think they would be shocked. They are just surprised that he grew balls at the last minute not withstanding the ambiguous reasons for rejecting the bill.

What a president!!!

For six years he was watching terrorist build empires for themselves in the country but suddenly used just six weeks to reduce terrorism by 80%.

For six years, he has been using just 30% of his powers and now that he has just six weeks to leave, he wants to use the remaining 70%.


Yeye. GEJ now trying to man up when he has already been manned down. Too late.

we don hear una,waiting d outcome of d retreat, change of gvt,change of constitution,change of house. first 2 comment and i dedicate it to my gf,my stupid guys. am feeling d fresh air of change

Chine12:
GEJ..Nigerians will need u in 2019

Abeg which Nigerians? You mean the same Nigerians that kicked him out through the ballot box?

Yet it is a PDP last president having disagreement with last pdp controlled senate.

Good

san316:
If he had been doing things the right way from the beginning, I don't think they would be shocked. They are just surprised that he grew balls at the last minute not withstanding the ambiguous reasons for rejecting the bill.

What a president!!!

For six years he was watching terrorist build empires for themselves in the country but suddenly used just six weeks to reduce terrorism by 80%.

For six years, he has been using just 30% of his powers and now that he has just six weeks to leave, he wants to use the remaining 70%.


Yeye. GEJ now trying to man up when he has already been manned down. Too late.

GEJ is a good sprinter... only the medal has been handed over to someone else before he reached the tape.

Mogidi:
I disagree with this position, the president has too much power.

Yeah!...but I'm sure you wouldn't have disagreed if the president was re-elected.

EdCure:

Yeah!...but I'm sure you wouldn't have disagreed if the president was re-elected.

Devolution of power is what I stand for, with GEJ or without GEJ.
Excessive power in the hands of power-drunk dictator like Buhari is dangerous.

GEJ never abused his power like Buhari did in the 80s, jailing anyone that has the temerity to scrutinize his actions or inactions.

That is the effect of change


gej now behaving like the real president

Loser

Brilliant

Hh

Yes naa

Fp

[b]Yes, looking @ this man Gej, I just wonder why he allowed over confidence of the PDP ruling party/ power thing to prevent him from being grateful for the love that we showed him in 2011 polls.

I am Yoruba and a Christian, I wholeheartedly and lovingly voted for Jonathan in 2011, Against buhari and all other candidates, I was particularly happy when Atiku lost to him in the PDP primaries; but Alas, his performance especially in the aspect of corruption/impunity made me changed my mind concerning him because I was disappointed. Now I voted against him just like every true lover of our nation's progress will. But what we get from mischievous PDP is inciting our brothers from SS & SE to believe their "brother" was betrayed.

This is unfair for millions of southwesterners and even Northcentral/ Middlebelt Nigerians that truly believed in Gej and was on His side to herald the fact that a South South candidate must be given Nigeria's support to rule Nigeria, and hence voted him(In 2011).

Our South East Brothers especially are really getting it all wrong.

It was never about the West backing a Northern agenda. They argue the West did not criticize Obasanjo.

The level of awareness now in 2015 is different from the level of awareness as at 2003 when Obasanjo contested for second term. The social media was not yet alive then. Facebook was created in 2004, somany of the other blogs and our flexible access to the Internet came latter too.

Even then(2003), so many people dint have access to independent news broadcasts like Channels & others. How many people had Dstv then, MAJORITY were all stuck to NTA, and thus cannot be really informed on the wrongs of Obasanjo. I repeat again, the level of awareness now is different from then.

Let's not give the Devil a chance. With proper leadership, we All need each other. One of the biggest Deposit of Iron ore in the world(said to be better than Japan's own) is in Ajaokuta(Kogi state-North central), Somany food items we need and consume are most suitably grown on the savannah soil of the farther North(E.g, Beans, Onions, groundnut, etc), The West has the only suitable land for cocoa, the major survival resource of the largest and most successful French speaking African country- Ivory coast. Oil deposits was discovered in Lagos, but no adequate commitment yet from any of our government to conduct more research and expand our oil deposit base the way US did recently and they stopped needing our oil.

Gold deposit is in Ilesa-South West. Gold is the leading natural resource of South Africa which many of us run to en mass for greener pastures, Tin is in Jos, Coal is in Enugu, Oil is in South South, How many can I mention? We ALL Need Each Other.

I Pray God will give us Unity, and Proper leadership, which we Lack, Need, Which I Crave For, and which informed many Nigerians' Political Choice for Change in the recent past elections. May God Almighty Help us. Amen.[/b]

jk

san316:
If he had been doing things the right way from the beginning, I don't think they would be shocked. They are just surprised that he grew balls at the last minute not withstanding the ambiguous reasons for rejecting the bill.
What a president!!!
For six years he was watching terrorist build empires for themselves in the country but suddenly used just six weeks to reduce terrorism by 80%.
For six years, he has been using just 30% of his powers and now that he has just six weeks to leave, he wants to use the remaining 70%.
Yeye. GEJ now trying to man up when he has already been manned down. Too late.

Young man. Pipe down.
GEJ used 101% of his political authority in His administration.
Just Like Mark said, try and get a copy of His letter, read it, digest it and see whether it'll be for the good of the vast majority.
Then you'll see that what you posted is just a few marks shy of sentimental prejudice.

Oga GEJ wake up your tenure got just few weeks to go, stop forming MR do good here, you have been there since 2010 why should it be now??/

I know why he rejected it but I won't tell anybody

EdCure:
Does Gej still think those executive powers are meant for him to use? No doubt the clueless one was instructed by his "advisers" against signing it because it was a ploy by the opposition to reduce his presidential powers and "sabotage" his government

They should send it back to him the next time he gets drunk.

Meanwhile, someone please remind him that Nigerians won't require his catastrophic signature on such sensitive documents after May 29th.

Oh please shut up... At least he still remains president until midnight, May 27th. He has every right to exercise his constitutional power and authority as president whether you like or hate him.

midolian:
Abeg which Nigerians? You mean the same Nigerians that kicked him out through the ballot box?

You mean rigged him out. Almajiris like y'all.

Mogidi:

Devolution of power is what I stand for, with GEJ or without GEJ.
Excessive power in the hands of power-drunk dictator like Buhari is dangerous.
GEJ never abused his power like Buhari did in the 80s, jailing anyone that has the temerity to scrutinize his actions or inactions.

Why do you choose to be among those who lack basic understanding of the difference between the type of govt that Buhari presided over in the 80s and what is obtainable in the current dispensation? It is quite damaging to be willfully ignorant out of convenience.

Even at that, did GEJ not abuse his powers by notoriously haunting, and embarrassing Amaechi and almost setting up a parallel govt in the state?
It's on record that Opposition governors and leaders were placed under surveillance and sometimes had their movements restricted. Or you want to tell me that there was someone else running the government on behalf of GEJ, committing those abuses?

Mogidi:
I disagree with this position, the president has too much powers, devolution of power is my mantra.

This is correct but we have to know what exactly it is.

long live our JP

Ehn

God bless Nigeria