6TH NATIONAL AsSEMBLY FOURTH SESSION No. 56 715

SENATE OF THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF VOTES AND PROCEEDINGS(1) Wednesday, 26th January, 2011

1. The Senate met at 11.02 a.m. The Senate President read prayers.

2. Votes and Proceedings: The Senate President announced that he had examined the Votes and Proceedings of Tuesday, 25th January, 2011 and approved same.

By unanimous consent, the Votes and Proceedings were approved.

3. Presentation of Bills: (I) Electoral Act 2010 (Amendment) Bill 2011 (SB. 459) - Read the First Time.

(il) Nigeria French Language Village (Establishment, etc) Bill 2011 (SB.449) - Read the First Time.

(ib) Nigeria Arabic Language Village (Establishment, etc) Bill 2011 (SB. 450) - Read the First Time.

(iv) Nigeria Sovereign Investment Authority Bill 2011 (SB. 457) - Read the First Time.

(v) Forfeiture of Official Titles and Emoluments Bill 2011 (SB. 455) - Read the First Time.

4. Committee on Health: Report on the Tobacco Control Act 1990 (Repeal and Re-enactment) Bill 2011 (SB. 221): Motion made: That the Senate do receive the Report on the Committee on Health, on the Tobacco Control Act 1990(Repeal and Re-enactment) Bill2011 (Senator -Bello - Ogun Central).

Question put and agreed to.

Report Laid.

5. Committee on Drugs, Narcotics, Financial Crimes and Anti-Corruption: Screening 0/ nominee: Motion made: That the Senate do receive the Report ofthe Committee on Drugs, Narcotics, Financial Crimes and Anti-Corruption, on the screening of Hon. Justice Pius Olayiwola Aderemi, JSC, CON as Chairman, Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (Senator Sola Akinyede - Ekiti South).

PRINTED BY NATIONAL ASSEMBLY PRESS, 716 Wednesday, 26th January, 2011 No. 56

Question put and agreed to.

Report Laid.

6. Briefmg by the Chairman, Independent National Electoral Commission (lNEC): Motion made: That the Senate do suspend Rule 17 to admit the Chairman, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and his team to the Floor of the Senate to brief the Senate on the on-going nationwide Voters' Registration Exercise (Senate Leader).

Question put and agreed to.

Chairman, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and his team admitted.

Motion made: That the Senate do resolve into the Committee of the Whole to receive briefing by the Chairman, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) (Senate Leader).

Question put and agreed to.

(SENATE IN THE COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE)

Briefing by the Chairman, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

Motion made: That the Senate do sit this day beyond the time appointed for termination of the sitting of the Senate (Deputy Senate Leader).

Question put and agreed to.

Chairman to report progress.

(SENATE IN THE PLENARy)

The Senate President reported that the Senate in the Committee of the Whole was briefed by Professor Attahiru M. Jega, Chairman, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on the on-going nationwide Voters' Registration Exercise. Senators observed certain lapses and problems identified with the on-going nationwide Voters' Registration Exercise and asked several questions. The INEC Chairman responded to all the questions and requested for the amendment of the Electoral Act No.6, 2010 in order to extend the time lines for the Voters' Registration Exercise. He also sought for additional funds for payment of allowances and other logistics.

Question: That the Senate do approve the Report of Committee of the Whole - Resolved in the Affirmative.

7. Committee on Appropriation: Report on Virement:

Consideration of Report deferred to another Legislative Day.

8. Electoral Act No.6 2010 (Amendment) Bill 2011 (SB.459): Motion made: That the Senate do now suspend Rule 79(1) to enable the Bill for an Act to Amend the Electoral Act No.6, 2010 (Amendment) Bill 2011 be read the Second Time (Deputy Senate Leader).

Debate: No. 56 Wednesday, 26th January, 2011 717

Question put and agreed to.

Bill accordingly read the Second Time and committed to the Committee of the Whole.

Motion made: Pursuant to Senate Rule 81, that the Senate do resolve into the Committee of the Whole to consider the Bill (Deputy Senate Leader).

Question put and agreed to.

(SENATE IN THE COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE)

Consideration of the Bill for an Act to Amend the Electoral Act No.6 2010 (Amendment) Bill 2011 to abridge the time from 60 days to 50 days within which the Independent National Electoral Commission shall stop the registration of voters before any General Election under the Act.

Clause 1: Amendment of Section 9(5) of the Principal Act: Section 9(5) of the Principal Act is amended by the deleting the figure "60" in line 2 thereof and substituting same with the figure "50 "(Deputy Senate Leader).

Amendment Proposed: Leave out the figure "50" in line 2 and insert the figure "30" instead thereof (Senator - Enugu West).

Question that the amendment be made, put and agreed to.

Question that Clause 1as amended do stand pan of the Bill, put and agreed to.

Clause 2: Citation: This Bill may be cited as the Electoral Act (Amendment) Bill No.2, 2011.

Committee's Recommendation: That the provision in the Bill be retained (Senate Leader) - Agreed to.

Question that Clause 2 do stand pan of the Bill, put and agreed to.

Chairman to report Bill.

(SENATE IN PLENARy)

The Senate President reported that the Senate in the Committee of the Whole considered the Bill for an Act to Amend the Electoral Act No.6, 2010 (Amendment) Bill 2011 to abridge the time from 60 days to 30 days within which the Independent National Electoral Commission shall stop the registration of voters before any General Election under the Act and approved as follows:

Clause 1 As Amended

Clause 2 As Recommended

Question: That the Senate do approve the Report of Committee of the Whole - Resolved in the Affirmative.

Motion made: That the Senate do now suspend Rule 79 to enable the Bill be read the Third Time (Senate Leader). 718 Wednesday, 26th January, 2011 No. 56

Question put and agreed to.

Bill accordingly read the Third Time and Passed.

9. Environmental Managers Registration Council of Nigeria (Establishment, etc.) Bill 2011 (SB.06):

Consideration of Bill deferred to another Legislative Day.

10. Adjournment: And it being 3.27 p.m. the Senate President adjourned the Senate till Wednesday, 26th January, 2011 at 3.37 p.m.

Adjourned accordingly at 3:27 p.m.

Dr. David A. B. Mark, GCON, fnim President, Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.