Constitution Amendment: Nigerians Must Watch Out For Legislative Dictatorship

A Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Mike Ahamba has asked Nigerians to be mindful of the on-going National Assembly’s Constitution amendment.

The lawyer warned of  a ‘legislative dictatorship’ tendency by the lawmakers in a bid to control the President.

Speaking on Sunrise Daily, he supported President Goodluck Jonathan’s refusal to sign the State of the Nation address bill which was passed by the body of lawmakers.

“I can see a bid by the National Assembly to empower itself beyond what the constitution allows them do,” Mr Ahamba warned.

He described as ‘improper’ the National Assembly’s move, adding that “any legislation that makes the President subservient to the National Assembly except on matters that are brought constitutionally before that body is not proper”.

The executive must be allowed to rule this country in accordance with the laws made by the National Assembly.

According to him, the bill proposed by the National Assembly is a device to “dictate to the President how to implement the laws of the country.”

He said amendment can obliterate laws that are already made.

“The constitution is not an act” that can be changed anytime and if care isn’t taken, “we would all pay for it in the future”.

The Senior Advocate of Nigeria advised the Presidency to seek a ruling from the court on whether the Parliament has the right to enact such laws if the National Assembly vetoes the bill President Jonathan has refused to sign into law.