In a ruling on Thursday, May 7, 2015 made by a seven-man panel chaired by the Chief Justice of the Federation, CJN, Justice Mahmud Mohammed, the Supreme court has ordered the National Assembly to halt all proceedings backing the amendment of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and to maintain status quo on the matter until thursday, June 18, 2015.
This inevitably makes it impossible for the 1999 Constitution to be amended in the present administration because by Thursday June 18, 2015 a new set of lawmakers would be in place and the amendment process would have to start afresh despite the huge funds already pumped into it.
The Supreme Court directed the issuance of hearing notice on the National Assembly for it to appear on that date to respond to the suit that was lodged against the proposed alterations to the constitution, by President Goodluck Jonathan.
The President had taken the case to the Supreme Court after he had objected to certain provisions in the proposed amendment and also sent a letter to the Upper and Lower Houses of Assembly explaining his reasons for opposing the amendment.
