Nigerian Senate amendments North-West, South -West, South-East Dev Commissions acts

The Nigerian Senate has approved an amendment to clauses 14 and 15 of the acts establishing the North-west,South -West and South -East Development Commissions.

Also amended is clause 4 (1) of 2025 National Youth Service Corps Trust Fund Establishment Bill.

The approval followed the presentation of a motion “titled “Re-commital of Bills to the Committee of the Whole ”

The motion was sponsored by leader of the Senate Sen.

Senator Bamidele in his motion recalled that North-West, South -West, South -East Development Commissions and the National Youth Service Corps Trust Fund establishment Bills 2025 were earlier passed by the Senate and House of Representatives .

According to him, the bills had been forwarded to the Clerk to the National Assembly, for onward transmission to President Bola Tinubu for assent.

He, however, said the Senate observed that the funding clauses for the commissions and the proposed fund to be established as provided in the bills appeared to contradict section 162 of the 1999 Constitution as amended.

He said section 1, subsections (1 ) and 3 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999, as amended provides that the constitution is supreme and any law that contradicts the constitution shall be null and void to the extent of the contradiction.

Senator Bamidele said mindful that senate should not work in vain and should be seen to be observing the constitution like any other authority and persons in Nigeria relied on orders 1(b) and 52(6) of its standing order 2023 as amended to rescind its decisions on the affected clauses of the development commissions bills , NYSC Trust Fund Bill.

This , he noted resulted in the re committal of the bills to the Committee of the Whole for reconsideration and passage.

He listed the affected clauses to include clause 14 of 2025 North-West, South-West- Development Commissions Establishment Bills, clause 15 of South -East Development Commission Establishment Bill and clause 4 (1)of the National Youth Service Corps Trust Fund Establishment Bill 2025.

After the bills were passed, President of Senate Godswill Akpabio said all the development commissions acts are in conformity with the Constitution, saying that the acts shall be transmitted to President Bola Tinubu for assent.

Senator Akpabio commended his colleagues for their contributions, patience, patriotic zeal and dedication to the service of the nation.