Section 219 and 220 of the 1999 Constitution: Acts of the National Assembly Regarding the Armed Forces of the Federation

National Assembly

The 1999 Constitution

Section 219

The National Assembly shall

(The National Assembly can do the following; )


Section 219 (a)

in giving effect to the functions specified in section 217 of this Constitution; and

(The National Assembly can enact/ create/ pass a law that gives power to the functions which have been provided in Section 217 of the 1999 Constitution; and)


Section 219 (b)

with respect to the powers exercisable by the President under section 218 of this Constitution, by an Act,
establish a body which shall comprise such members as the National Assembly may determine, and which shall have power to ensure that the composition of the armed forces of the Federation shall reflect the federal character of Nigeria in the manner prescribed in the section 217 of this Constitution.

(In line with the powers which have been given to the President under Section 218 of the 1999 Constitution, the National Assembly can pass a law that creates a body/ group/ committee that has the function of ensuring the composition of the Armed Forces of the Federation reflects the federal character i.e. equity and fairness, as has been stated in section 217 of the 1999 Constitution. The members of this body/ group/ committee is to be determined by the National Assembly.)


Section 220 (1)

The Federation shall establish and maintain adequate facilities for carrying into effect any Act of the
National Assembly providing for compulsory military training or military service for citizens of Nigeria.

(It is the duty of the Federal Government to maintain facilities that are necessary for providing compulsory military training or military service for citizens of Nigeria which have been provided for by an Act of the National Assembly.)


Section 220 (2)

Until an Act of the National Assembly is made in that behalf the President may maintain adequate facilities in any secondary or post-secondary educational institution in Nigeria for giving military training in any such institution which desires to have the training.

(Unless an Act of the National Assembly has been passed into law as mentioned in sub section 1 of section 220, the President will have the power to maintain adequate facilities in any secondary or post secondary educational institution in Nigeria which desires to give military training in any institute that wants to have the training.)


(Section 220 is saying that, if an Act of the National Assembly has passed into law that the Federation is to maintain a facility for military training then the Federation has to carry out that Act/ law of the National Assembly but if such Act has not yet been created, then the President has the power to do so instead but using secondary or post secondary schools.)

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