INEC Act, Constitution Amendment Bills Pass First Reading In Senate — A file photo of the Senate during plenary at the Upper Chamber of the National Assembly in Abuja on December 18, 2018. Photo: Twitter-@NGRSenate.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Act 2010 (Amendment) Bill, 2019 has passed the first reading in the Senate.

This bill was read for the first time on the floor of the red chamber on Tuesday after it was presented by the Senate Committee Chairman on INEC, Senator Suleiman Nazif.

Senator Nazif presented the bill following the conclusion of the keenly contested 2019 general elections.

In December 2018, President Muhammadu Buhari declined assent to the Electoral Act Amendment Bill, 2018, for the fourth time.

He had explained the reasons for his decision in letters sent to the leadership of both chambers of the National Assembly.

Also during Tuesday’s plenary, the Deputy Senate President, Senator Ike Ekewremadu, presented six bills on the amendment of the Constitution.

They include, Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (Fourth Alteration, No. 8 (Amendment) Bill, 2019 (SB. 728), Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (Fourth Alteration, No. 15) (Amendment) Bill, 2019 (SB. 729), and Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (Fourth Alteration, No. 20) (Amendment) Bill, 2019 (SB. 730).

Others are Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (Fourth Alteration, No. 22) (Amendment) Bill, 2019 (SB. 731), Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (Fourth Alteration, No. 24) (Amendment) Bill, 2019 (SB. 732), and Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (Fourth Alteration, No. 28) (Amendment) Bill, 2019 (SB. 733).

All six bills were read for the first time.

Similarly, the Industrial Development (Income Tax Relief) (Amendment) Bill, 2019 by Senator Sabo Mohammed scaled through the first reading.