The Cable reports that the House of Representatives has passed for second reading, an amendment to the Nigerian National Merit Award Act, which seeks to strip recipients of their awards if they have been convicted of a criminal offence. Ayodele Oladimeji, sponsor of the bill, said he was proposing the amendment in a bid to strengthen the anti-corruption war being fought by the Buhari administration.
“There is need for the law to be amended. This will strengthen the anti-corruption war of the government of the day,” he said. The awardee must be found guilty of any crime by a competent court of jurisdiction before the executive consider the stripping of such awards.”
Contributing to the debate, Adamu Kamale, supported the amendment, saying it would make the recipients of such awards live up to expectation. The bill passed second reading after Yakubu Dogara, the speaker, put it to a voice vote, with the “ayes” having it.