By Luminous Jannamike
ABUJA — The African Democratic Congress, ADC, on Tuesday accused the House of Representatives of undermining the Constitution in its handling of the State Police Constitution Alteration Bill, insisting that ‘the Constitution is not amended by convenience’ and calling for the legislation to be recommitted to a fresh, transparent and inclusive legislative process.
While backing the creation of state police as part of efforts to tackle Nigeria’s worsening insecurity, the opposition party argued that no constitutional reform, however well-intentioned, should come at the expense of the constitutional process itself.
In a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, the ADC questioned reports that the constitutional threshold for passing the amendment was attained by recognising votes transmitted through WhatsApp by lawmakers who were absent from the chamber and by counting members who had signed the attendance register but were no longer present when the question was put.
“The Constitution is not amended by convenience. It is amended through strict procedures that leave no room for improvisation,” the party declared.
