Metro
Constitution amendment: Jonathan, NASS settle out of court
President Goodluck Jonathan and the National Assembly have decided to settle the dispute over the constitution amendment out of court as directed by a seven-man panel of the Supreme Court on Monday.
The apex court, led by Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Mahmud Mohammed had adjourned till Wednesday for a report after asking lawyers to both parties to broker a settlement talk between their clients.
Counsel for the Attorney-General of the Federation, Chief Bayo Ojo (SAN), who instituted the suit on behalf of the President, and Chief Adegboyega Awomolo (SAN), who represented the National Assembly, told the apex court panel that both parties made concessions before arriving at a settlement.
The apex court adjourned till 4pm on Wednesday to enable the plaintiff to file notice of discontinuance of the suit.
Lawyers to the parties declined to give details of the concessions reached until the terms of settlement and notice of discontinuance are filed.
President Jonathan had refused to assent to the 4th Alteration Bill on the grounds of the alleged failure of the National Assembly to fulfill the mandatory requirement for the passage of the bill.
The AGF on behalf of the President had then filed the suit to challenge the passage of the Bill by the National Assembly following threat by the legislators to override the President’s assent.
The plaintiff is opposed to, among other provisions in the proposed amendment of the constitution which conferred on the National Assembly, the power to pass an amendment of the constitution without the president’s consent.
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Sexymama
May 28, 2015 at 7:38 am
We need to know the concessions for this all to make sense