Senate endorses April deadline for 2011 elections

Senate endorses April deadline for 2011 elections
Senate endorses April deadline for 2011 elections 

THE Senate yesterday endorsed the request by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for new time lines for the 2011 polls. By the action of the upper chamber, the deadline for the conduct of the elections is April next year.

Also, the House of Representatives has passed the second amendment to the 1999 Constitution.
INEC earlier this month, forwarded a bill to the National Assembly seeking an amendment to the constitution and the Electoral Act 2010 so as to allow for new time lines for the conduct of next general elections.
The Senate yesterday voted on the report of the committee on amendment of the 1999  constitution headed by the Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu. One of the areas of amendment endorsed by the chamber is section 76 of the 1999 constitution which stipulates that elections to each House of the National Assembly shall not be held earlier than 150 days and not later than 120 days before the date on which the House stands dissolved or where the election is to fill a vacancy occurring more than 90 days before such date, not later than 30 days after the vacancy occurred. The amendment effected by the Senate reads; (1)''Elections to each House of the National Assembly shall be held on a date to be appointed by the Independent National Electoral Commission in accordance with the Electoral Act''. 
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