Coalition of Civil Society Organisations under the aegis of Coalition for Good Governance have faulted the move by the Senate to enact a central law that regulates lottery and gambling in Nigeria.
The coalition, which comprises over 80 human rights groups, urged the Senate to immediately stop what they tag “illegal and unconstitutional voyage of legislative rascality and lawlessness.”
Briefing newsmen in Lagos, Sunday, the spokesperson for the coalition, Comrade Nelson Ekujumi, urged the House of Representatives who had earlier passed the Bill into law to tender an unreserved apology to the people of Nigeria for the assault on legislative integrity, honour, the constitution, “our democracy, and national security by the irresponsible and unconstitutional passage of the vexatious and illegal bill.”
The CSO which tagged the briefing “National Assembly: Stop This Voyage of Legislative Rascality, Recklessness, Provocation and Lawlessness”
According to the coalition, “Our interest in the matter at hand, was provoked by the realization that the institutions of state, saddled with the honourable responsibility of law making for the good governance of the society, must not be allowed to deviate and degenerate from the lofty height of upholding the rule of law, to a condemnable one of law breaking, irresponsibility, incitement and undermining national peace and security
“As we are all aware, the Supreme (Apex) Court on the 22nd of November 2024, nullified the National Lottery Act 2005 enacted by the National Assembly. The judgment followed the suit filed in 2008 by Lagos and other states of the Federation, challenging the Federal government’s powers to regulate lottery and gaming activities throughout Nigeria.”
The coalition explained that the Supreme Court in a unanimous judgement consisting of seven justices held that the National Assembly lacked the powers to legislate on issues relating to lottery in respect of all states of the federation, except the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja.
“The court ruled that such powers only reside with the state Houses of Assembly, which possess exclusive jurisdiction over lottery,” The coalition said.
The human rights group stated that the states sought, amongst others, in the suit filed, a declaration of the Court that the regulation of lottery activities does not fall within the remit of the National Assembly, under Part 1 of the Second Schedule of the 1999 Constitution as amended and is consequently not empowered to enact the National Lottery Act.
It added that the states as plaintiff(s) also sought a declaration that the National Assembly lacks the power to legally and constitutionally make any law to regulate and control the operation of lottery in Nigeria.
