Kano LG with ‘negative’ name to be renamed, as Buhari signs new laws

Kano LG with ‘negative’ name to be renamed, as Buhari signs new laws

President Muhammadu Buhari has signed 16 constitutional amendment bills into law.

One of the bills that was signed ito law has given respite to the citizens of Kunchi local government area of Kano State who have, over the years lamented the negativity that they claim was associated with the name of their local government.

‘Kunchi’ in Hausa language could be translated to mean ‘anger’ or ‘extreme poverty’ in English, and there has been the belief that the name was responsible for some of the misfortunes that has afflicted the local government over the years.

Clerics in the state have advised that the area consider a change of name to turn the tide of negativity associated with the present one, and lawmakers from the state have taken it upom themselves to actaulise this desire.

Some suggested new names include ‘Yalwa’ and ‘Murna’, meaning afflunce and joy respectively.

The Senate had earlier passed the bill to change the name of Kunchi local government area of Kano State, the same way it did to Afikpo North and Afikpo South local government areas of Ebonyi State, and Atisbo local government area of Oyo State.

The bill is now a law after getting the presidential signature.

Among the bills signed by the president is the one which mandates the president-elect and governors-elect to submit the names of ministers or commissioners to the Senate and State House of Assembly within 60 days of taking the oath of office.

The bills signed into law also included financial independence for state houses of assemblies and state judiciary;  bills seeking to remove railway, prison, electricity from the exclusive legislative list to the concurrent list, among others.

The assented bills will soon be published in the Official Gazette of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

The assented Constitutional Alteration Bills are:

• Bill to change the names of Afikpo North and Afikpo South Local Government Areas
• Bill to change the name of Kunchi Local Government Area
• Bill to change the names of Egbado North and Egbado South Local Government Areas
• Bill to correct the name of Atigbo Local Government Area
• Bill to correct the name of Obia/Akpor Local Government Area.
• Bill to provide for the financial independence of State Houses of Assembly and State Judiciary
• Bill to regulate the first session and inauguration of members-elect of the National and State Houses of Assembly.
• Bill to delete the reference to the provisions of the Criminal Code, Penal Code, Criminal Procedure Act, Criminal Procedure Code or Evidence Act
• Bill to exclude the period of intervening events in the computation of time for determining
• pre-election petitions, election petitions and appeals
• Bill to provide for the post-call qualification of the Secretary of the National Judicial Council.
• Bill to delete the item “prisons” in the Exclusive Legislative List and re-designate it as “Correctional Services” in the Concurrent Legislative List.
• Bill to move the item “railways” from the Exclusive Legislative List to the Concurrent Legislative List
• Bill to allow States to generate, transmit and distribute electricity in areas covered by the national grid.
• Bill to require the President and Governors to submit the names of persons nominated as Ministers or Commissioners within sixty days of taking the oath of office for confirmation by the Senate or State House of Assembly.
• Bill to correct the error in the definition of the boundary of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.
• Bill to require the Government to direct its policy towards ensuring the right to food and food security in Nigeria

The President also assented to 3 other bills to wit: The Nigerian Institute of Leather and Science Technology Act, The Nigerian Institute of International Relations Act, and The Federal Medical Centers (Amendment) Acts.

There was nationwide outrage when, in 2015, Buhari assumed office and failed to appoint ministers in six months.

On Wednesday, President-Elect Bola Tinubu had spoken about his cabinet, saying he would appoint competent persons across the country.

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