The stalemate over Electoral Law reform has continued, as the Senate emerged from a five-hour closed-door meeting without addressing journalists on the matter.
Recall that a similar closed-door meeting was held last week, leading to the formation of the Ad-hoc Committee to address all concerns expressed by the senators at the closed-door executive session.
The Senate had referred the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC bill to a special Ad-hoc Committee and asked members with any concern to approach the committee with it.
However, all expectations of an amicable resolution of the stalemate over the bill were dashed yesterday, as the senators walked away from the closed-door meeting without looking at the waiting journalists or answering any questions.
Meanwhile, the Senate has set machinery in motion for alteration of relevant provisions of the 1999 Constitution to pave the way for more revenue allocation to the federal government through upward review of the current formula for it.
Though among the three tiers of government in the current revenue allocation formula, the federal government takes the lion share of 52.68% as against 26.72% given to the 36 States and 20.60% given to the 774 local government Councils but the Senate through a bill sponsored by Senator Sunday Karimi (Kogi West), wants more revenue for the federal government.
Explaining the intent of the bill, which scaled first reading to journalists after the plenary, Senator Karimi said the proposed legislation basically seeks to rescue the federal government from grossly inadequate revenue to enormous responsibilities, which, according to him, is suffocating itsuffocated .
“The proposed alteration seeks to increase federal government revenue allocation to address mounting financial obligations and national responsibilities across Nigeria.
“The current revenue-sharing formula is outdated and unsustainable because it places excessive financial pressure on the federal government amid rising infrastructure decay and insecurity nationwide.
“There’s a need for adjustment in the revenue allocation to the Federal Government so that we can have a slight increase in what is coming to the Federal Government for it to meet its responsibilities”, he said .
He explained further that federal roads nationwide have deteriorated badly, while huge resources were committed to combating banditry, terrorism, and other security threats across the country.
“Responsibilities borne by the Federal Government, particularly the construction and maintenance of federal roads across the country, have become overwhelming under the existing revenue formula, aside from the enormous responsibilities on internal security.
“So what is needed now is an adjustment in the revenue allocation formula to increase the federal government allocation”, he stressed .
Karimi noted that inadequate funding also affected the military’s fight against terrorism which, according to him, will be solved through increased revenue to the federal government.
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