From Ndubuisi Orji, Abuja
National Assembly has commenced moves to reconsider about 44 bills that were passed by the ninth assembly, but were not assented to by former President Muhammadu Buhari.
The proposed legislations to be reconsidered include the Nigerian Peace Corps Establishment Bill, the Economic and Finance Crimes Commission (EFCC) Amendment Bill, Defense Industries Corporation of Nigeria (Repeal and Enactment) Bill, National Library of Nigeria (Establishment) Bill amongst others.
The proposed legislation, including
The Nigerian Peace Corps Establishment Bill, were passed by the ninth assembly and transmitted to former President, Muhammadu Buhari in April, for his assent. However, the former President did not assent to them , before the expiration of the tenure of the former President on May 29.
The Nigerian Peace Corps Establishment Bill was later re-transmitted again to President Bola Tinubu, by the National Assembly, but it became status barred following the expiration of the ninth assembly.
The House of Representatives, earlier in the week, adopted a motion for a reconsideration of the affected bills, including others passed by the House and negatived by the Senate.
The House leader, Julius Ihonvbere, relying on Order 12, Rule 16 of the House Standing Orders had prayed the parliament to revisit the bills.
Order 12, Rule 16 states that “Bills passed by the preceding Assembly and forwarded to the Senate for concurrence for which no concurrence was made or negatived or passed by the Senate and forwarded to the House for which no concurrence was made or negatived or which were passed by the National Assembly and forwarded to the President for assent; but for which assent or withholding thereof was not communicated before the end of the tenure of the Assembly, the House may resolve that such Bill, upon being re-gazetted or clean copies circulated, be re-considered in the Committee of the Whole without being commenced de-novo.”
Consequently, the affected bills are expected to enjoy expedited consideration in line with the Orders of the House.