Constitution

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Revision as of 08:22, 29 January 2009

Chapter 1
Parliament

Part I: General

Section 1. Legislative power shall be vested in the Parliament of the Republic, which shall consist of the Senate and the National Assembly.

Section 2. Parliament shall have full power to make laws for the peace, order, and good government of the Republic.

Section 3. The President of the Republic may appoint such times for holding the sessions of Parliament as he thinks fit, and may also from time to time, by proclamation or otherwise, prorogue Parliament, and may in like manner dissolve the Senate or the National Assembly or the Senate and the National Assembly simultaneously, provided that the dissolution of the Senate shall not affect any senators referenced in paragraphs (a), (c), or (d) of section 1 of Part II of this Chapter.

Section 4. After any general election the Parliament shall be summoned to meet not later than thirty days after the day appointed for the return of the writs.

Section 5. There shall be a session of Parliament once at least in every year so that a period of twelve months shall not intervene between the last sitting of Parliament in one session and its first sitting in the next session.

Part II: Senate

Section 1. The Senate shall be composed of:

(a) Eight senators nominated by the President of the Republic, of whom two shall be nominated from each state;

(b) Ten senators from each state, appointed by the legislature thereof;

(c) The President of the Republic whose term of office immediately preceded that of the current President of the Republic; and

(d) The presidential candidate that received the second largest number of votes in the most recent presidential election.

Section 2. (1) The senators nominated by the President of the Republic in terms of paragraph (a) of section 1 shall hold their seats for five years.

(2) The President of the Republic shall when nominating senators have regard to the desirability of ensuring that the senate will as far as practicable consist of persons having knowledge of matters affecting the various inhabitants of the Republic.

(3) If the seat of a senator so nominated becomes vacant, the President of the Republic shall nominate another person to hold the seat until the completion of the period for which the person in whose stead he is nominated, would have held the seat.

Section 3. (1) The senators appointed in terms of paragraph (b) of section 1 shall hold their seats for five years unless the Senate be sooner dissolved.

(2) If the seat of a senator so appointed becomes vacant, the sitting members of the state legislature concerned shall elect a person to hold the seat until the completion of the period for which the person in whose stead he is appointed, would have held the seat.

Section 4. (1) The senators referenced in paragraphs (c) and (d) of section 1 shall hold their seats for five years.

(2) If the seat of either of the senators referenced in the previous sub-section becomes vacant, the President of the Republic shall nominate another person to hold the seat until the completion of the period for which the person in whose stead he is nominated, would have held the seat.