By Enyichukwu Enemanna
Nigeria’s 10th National Assembly is mulling the revisit of the bill seeking constitutional roles for traditional rulers, House of Representatives Speaker, Abbas Tajuddeen announced on Saturday.
“We are here to also seek for advises from you the traditional rulers.
“I want to also intimate you that we will revisit the recommendations of the bill submitted by the traditional rulers seeking for a constitutional roles and ensure that the bill is passed”, the Speaker said in Zaria during a courtesy visit to the Emir of Zazzau, Malam Ahmed Bamalli.
The visit was a homecoming to seek royal blessings, guidance and prayers from the royal father, the Speaker stated.
He told the foremost traditional ruler that the visit was to also appreciate the support and prayers received from his constituency and Nigerians.
The emir in response noted that the traditional rulers had played several developmental roles at the pre-independent and post independent Nigeria, as such their roles could not be over emphasised.
Some politicians were initially against the bill seeking constitutional roles for the rulers on the premise that such roles would amount to creating another tier of government, the Emir stated further.
The emir said it was not true that assigning constitutional roles to the traditional rulers amounted to creating another tier of government.
The royal father said an extensive deliberation on the issue was held in Kaduna under the leadership of the Sultan of Sokoto.
He added that a committee headed by Emir of Lafia, Nasarawa State, who was a former Justice of Supreme Court, drafted the bill which was eventually not passed by the NASS.
“We are therefore appealing to the 10th assembly to revisit the bill and ensure its speedy passage to enhance security, growth and national development.”
