SENATE APPROVES INDEPENDENT CANDIDATURE

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The senate has approved a provision in the constitution alteration bill which gives room for candidates to participate in elections without being members of political parties.

Eighty-two senators voted in favour of this, while five rejected it.

The upper legislative chamber also approved a provision for the funding of the house of assembly of states directly from the consolidated revenue fund of the state.

The provision reads: “section 121 of the principal act is altered by substituting for subsection (3), a new subsection (3) – ‘(3) any amount standing to the credit of the- house of assembly of the state, and judiciary, in the consolidated revenue fund of the state  shall be paid directly to the said bodies respectively; in the case of judiciary, such amount shall be paid directly the heads of the courts concerned.”

Ike Ekweremadu, deputy senate president, laid the report of the constitution review committee which had worked on some sections of the 1999 constitution.

The senate commenced on debate on the report on Tuesday, and voted on its provisions on Wednesday.