- 39 constitutional amendment bills were passed in the House of Representatives, covering reforms in judicial, electoral, legislative, and governance matters
- Notable proposals included the creation of special seats for interest groups in the House of Representatives
- Bills introduced reforms on electoral timelines, judicial independence, and gender equality in governance
The House of Representatives has passed 39 constitutional amendment bills for second reading, moving closer to enacting significant legislative reforms. The bills, introduced by various lawmakers, were referred to the Committee on the Review of the Constitution for further legislative action.
The bills were passed on Tuesday, March 29, without debate, signalling strong legislative support for the proposed changes. They cover a range of issues, including judicial and legislative security, electoral reforms, and provisions for inclusive governance.
House passes 39 bills, grouped into six categories
The 39 bills were grouped into six categories: 13 on electoral matters, 10 on judicial reforms, seven on legislative issues, three on inclusive governance, one on security, and five covering other concerns.
Among the key proposals was one sponsored by Speaker Abbas Tajudeen, which aims to amend the 1999 Constitution to make the recommendations of the National Judicial Council (NJC) mandatory for the removal of a court head by either the President or a governor.
Another significant proposal sought the establishment of an Ecclesiastical Court of Appeal for the Federation, as well as for the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
A separate bill called for designating the Court of Appeal as the final court for governorship and legislative elections.
Bill to hold presidential, governorship, legislative elections on same day, others
Several bills focused on electoral reforms were also passed. These included provisions for regulating election timelines through the Electoral Act and requiring lawmakers wishing to defect from their political party to first resign.
Other amendments aimed to extend the Court of Appeal's original jurisdiction to include election petitions from governorship and deputy governorship elections.
Additional proposals sought to grant the National Assembly the authority to adjust election tribunal timelines and require compulsory resignation for National and State Executive members of political parties seeking elective positions.
Another notable bill called for holding presidential, governorship, and National and House of Assembly elections on the same day, as determined by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in consultation with the National Assembly.
Bill for gender equality, state police, others
A proposal sponsored by Akintunde Rotimi suggested creating six special seats in the House of Representatives for special interest groups.
Other bills aim to establish state and local government police, strengthen judicial independence, and promote gender equality in government appointments.
Additionally, a bill introduced by Ahmed Wase would allow public servants to engage in healthcare education, production, and services, broadening their professional scope beyond agriculture.
A bill championed by Kaftlat Ogbara sought to ensure gender equality in the Federal Character Commission, aiming to increase women's representation in governance.
The bills were set for further review by the Committee on the Review of the Constitution.
House of Reps orders CBN to stop implementation of ATM withdrawal charges
Meanwhile, TheRadar earlier reported that the House of Representatives ordered the Central Bank of Nigeria to suspend the implementation of the N100 Automated Teller Machine transaction charge.
The House said the new policy would impose an additional burden on Nigerians given the current economic situation.