Following the ongoing constitutional review led by the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Benjamin Kalu, a member of the House, Hon. Mansur Manu Soro, has called for a constitutional amendment to regulate the suspension of National Assembly members.
This was as he argued that it would check the excessive powers of the Senate President and Speaker of the House of Representatives.
Speaking with journalists on Monday in Bauchi State, Soro criticized the recent suspension of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, describing it as an undemocratic move that undermines representation.
“The office of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, just like that of any other senator or House member, is a creation of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as amended.
“The same applies to the office of the President, Governor, and Local Government Chairman,” he stated.
Soro noted that while the Constitution provides procedures for impeaching a President, Governor, and National Assembly leaders, it does not specify how an elected legislator can be suspended.
“The only constitutional provision regarding the removal of lawmakers is through a recall process initiated by their constituents via the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC),” he explained.
Citing the recent suspension of Senator Abdul Ahmed Ningi (Bauchi Central), Soro lamented that such actions deprive constituents of their voices in governance.
“When my Senator, Abdul Ningi, was suspended, I felt terrible because my constituency was deprived of its voice in the Senate. That is why I have proposed a bill to amend the 1999 Constitution and provide a clear process for suspending lawmakers,” he said.
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His proposed bill, titled A Bill for an Act to Alter the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 to Regulate the Process of Suspending a Member of the National Assembly, aims to protect all 109 senatorial districts and 360 federal constituencies from arbitrary suspension, ensure due process, and limit the powers of National Assembly leaders.
Additionally, Soro proposed another bill, A Bill for an Act to Alter the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 to Provide for the Compulsory Retirement of National and State Executive Members of Political Parties Seeking Elective Government Positions.
The bill seeks to ensure fair competition in party primaries and promote internal democracy within political parties.
Soro argued that the Senate President holds too much power, making it easy to suspend lawmakers without proper justification.
“Over-concentration of powers in the office of the Senate President makes it easier to get any senator suspended at any given time,” he said.
He also called for a review of the process of appointing the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Ethics and Code of Conduct, emphasizing the need for fairness and independence.
“You don’t expect a chairman I appointed, whom I can sack at any time, to recommend sanctions against me,” he noted.
The lawmaker stressed that a strong legislature is crucial for a thriving democracy, adding that arbitrary suspensions weaken the institution and undermine accountability.
“Democracy can only thrive when the legislature is strong, and constituents’ rights to representation are protected. Only then can we achieve the true purposes of democracy in Nigeria,” he concluded.
