State Houses of Assembly in the country have approved a constitutional amendment mandating the Independent National Electoral Commission to conduct a presidential or governorship run-off election within 21 days in the event of a tie in an election.

The extant provision in Sections 134 and 179 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) requires that such a run-off be conducted within seven days.

The new proposal is to give the candidates and INEC adequate ‎time to prepare for the run-off.

Twenty-four (two-thirds) of the 36 state assemblies approved the amendment to pass in line with Section 9 of the constitution.

The amendment was one of the 71 new amendments and schedules added to the constitution by the National Assembly last year and forward to the states for their approval.

If the new amendments are accented to‎ by President Goodluck Jonathan, it implies that the provision on run-off elections for instance, will apply to the March 28 presidential poll and the April 11 governorship elections respectively.

However, while most of the proposals by the National Assembly secured the approval of the state assemblies, the latter rejected autonomy for local government councils.

The state assemblies also rejected a proposal to abolish‎ State Independent Electoral Commission.

They also rejected an amendment allowing the Revenue Mobilization Allocation and Fiscal Commission to send proposals on new revenue formula directly to the National Assembly instead of passing them through the President.

House Deputy Speaker, Mr. Emeka Ihedioha, submitted the report of the state assemblies to the House as members reconvened in Abuja on Tuesday from‎ recess.