House of Representatives Set to Vote Today on 37 Landmark Constitutional Amendment Bills
ELECTORAL REFORMS (Bills 1โ3)
1. Bill NO. 1: A BILL FOR AN ACT TO ALTER THE PROVISIONS OF THE CONSTITUTION OF THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA, 1999 TO PROVIDE FOR INDEPENDENT CANDIDACY IN PRESIDENTIAL, GOVERNORSHIP, NATIONAL ASSEMBLY, STATE HOUSES OF ASSEMBLY AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT COUNCILS ELECTIONS; AND FOR RELATED MATTER, 2025โจโ Allows independent candidates with verified signatures (10% of registered voters from 2/3 of relevant areas); INEC/SIEC verifies signatures; 50% fee waiver for women candidates.
2. Bill NO. 2: A BILL FOR AN ACT TO ALTER THE CONSTITUTION OF THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA, 1999 TO PROVIDE THE CRITERIA FOR APPOINTING MEMBERS AND ADDITIONAL POWERS FOR THE STATE INDEPENDENT ELECTORAL COMMISSION; AND FOR RELATED MATTERS, 2025โจโ Adds non-partisanship/integrity/age criteria for SIEC members; grants SIEC independent rule-making powers (no Governor approval); expands SIEC functions (voter education, campaign monitoring, party primaries, referendums, etc.).
3. Bill NO. 3: A BILL FOR AN ACT TO ALTER THE CONSTITUTION OF THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA 1999, TO ESTABLISH AND EMPOWER THE ELECTORAL OFFENCES COMMISSION TO PROVIDE FOR THE INVESTIGATION AND PROSECUTION OF ELECTORAL OFFENCES; AND FOR RELATED MATTERS, 2025โจโ Creates Electoral Offences Commission as a federal executive body with first-line charge funding; details composition, qualifications, and powers (to be prescribed by Act).
JUDICIAL REFORMS (Bills 4โ6)
4. Bill NO. 4: A BILL FOR AN ACT TO ALTER THE CONSTITUTION OF THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA, 1999 TO REDUCE THE BURDEN ON THE SUPREME COURT, REPOSITION IT AS A COURT OF POLICY, AND ENSURE THE TIMELY RESOLUTION OF ELECTION PETITIONS; AND FOR RELATED MATTERS, 2025โจโ Most Supreme Court appeals require leave (except presidential/vice-presidential election matters).
5. Bill NO. 5: A BILL FOR AN ACT TO ALTER THE CONSTITUTION OF THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA, 1999, TO PROVIDE FOR THE REGULATION OF THE JURISDICTION OF THE SUPREME COURT AND THE COURT OF APPEAL; AND FOR RELATED MATTERS, 2025โจโ Clarifies Chief Justice as Head of Judiciary; mandates 360-day disposal of appeals to Supreme Court.
6. Bill NO. 6: A BILL FOR AN ACT TO ALTER THE CONSTITUTION OF THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA, 1999 TO EMPOWER JUDGES ELEVATED TO HIGHER COURTS TO CONCLUDE PART-HEARD CRIMINAL MATTERS PENDING BEFORE THEM PRIOR TO THEIR ELEVATION; AND FOR RELATED MATTERS, 2025โจโ Allows elevated Federal High Court judges to conclude part-heard criminal cases (prosecution closed) within 6 months (excluding vacation).
SECURITY AND POLICING (Bills 7โ8)
7. Bill NO. 7: A BILL FOR AN ACT TO ALTER THE CONSTITUTION OF THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA 1999 TO PROVIDE FOR THE ESTABLISHMENT OF STATE POLICE; AND FOR RELATED MATTERS (SIXTH ALTERATION) 2026โจโ Replaces references to โNigeria Police Forceโ with โPoliceโ in relevant sections to enable State Police.
8. Bill NO. 8: A BILL FOR AN ACT TO ALTER THE CONSTITUTION OF THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA, 1999 TO PROVIDE FOR THE FINANCIAL INDEPENDENCE OF THE ARMED FORCES OF THE FEDERATION; AND FOR RELATED MATTERS, 2025โจโ Places Armed Forces funding on first-line charge (like INEC, National Assembly, Judiciary).
LOCAL GOVERNMENT (Bills 9โ17)
9. Bill NO. 9: A BILL FOR AN ACT TO ALTER THE CONSTITUTION OF THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA, 1999 TO ESTABLISH LOCAL GOVERNMENT COUNCILS AS A TIER OF GOVERNMENT; AND FOR RELATED MATTERS, 2025โจโ Recognises Local Governments as a third tier; adjusts federalism and legislative powers accordingly.
10. Bill NO. 10: A BILL FOR AN ACT TO ALTER THE CONSTITUTION OF THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA, 1999 TO PROVIDE FOR THE ESTABLISHMENT, INDEPENDENCE AND FUNCTIONS OF THE OFFICE OF THE STATE AUDITORS-GENERAL FOR LOCAL GOVERNMENTS AND THE FEDERAL CAPITAL TERRITORY AREA COUNCILSโฆ 2025โจโ Creates independent State Auditors-General for Local Governments/Area Councils.
18. Bill NO. 18: A BILL FOR AN ACT TO ALTER THE CONSTITUTION OF THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA, 1999 TO GRANT CITIZENSHIP RIGHTS TO SPOUSES; AND FOR RELATED MATTERS, 2025โจโ Gender-neutral spousal citizenship (5-year residency requirement).
19. Bill NO. 19: A BILL FOR AN ACT TO ALTER THE CONSTITUTION OF THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA, 1999 TO INCLUDE CITIZENSHIP BY INVESTMENTโฆ 2025โจโ Allows National Assembly to prescribe citizenship by investment.
20. Bill NO. 20: A BILL FOR AN ACT TO ALTER THE CONSTITUTION OF THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA, 1999 TO PROVIDE FOR ADDITIONAL SPECIAL SEATS FOR WOMEN IN THE SENATE, HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES AND STATE HOUSES OF ASSEMBLYโฆ 2025โจโ Creates special (temporary) women seats via electoral college; groups states into geo-political zones.
LEGISLATURE (Bills 21โ25)
21. Bill NO. 21: A BILL FOR AN ACT TO ALTER THE CONSTITUTION OF THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA, 1999 TO INSTITUTIONALIZE LEGISLATIVE BUREAUCRACY IN THE CONSTITUTION; AND FOR RELATED MATTERS, 2025โจโ Makes Clerk head of Legislative Service in National Assembly and State Houses.
22. Bill NO. 22: A BILL FOR AN ACT TO ALTER THE CONSTITUTION OF THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA, 1999 TO SPECIFY THE PERIOD FOR THE LAYING OF APPROPRIATION BILLโฆ 2025โจโ Requires appropriation estimates at least 60 days before end of financial year.
23. Bill NO. 23: A BILL FOR AN ACT TO ALTER THE CONSTITUTION OF THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA, 1999 TO PROVIDE FOR THE INAUGURATION OF NEW MEMBERS AFTER THE INAUGURATION OF THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLYโฆ 2025โจโ Allows post-inauguration members (with certificate of return) to be sworn in.
24. Bill NO. 24: A BILL FOR AN ACT TO ALTER THE CONSTITUTION, 1999 TO PROVIDE THE PROCEDURE FOR REMOVING PRESIDING OFFICERS OF THE HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY OF A STATE; AND FOR RELATED MATTERS, 2025โจโ Adds procedural safeguards for removing State House Speakers/Deputy Speakers.
25. Bill NO. 25: A BILL FOR AN ACT TO ALTER THE CONSTITUTION OF THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA, 1999 TO REMOVE TRANSITIONAL LAW-MAKING POWERS FROM THE EXECUTIVE ARM OF GOVERNMENT; AND FOR RELATED MATTER, 2025โจโ Deletes executive power to modify existing laws for constitutional conformity.
DEVOLUTION OF POWERS / HUMAN RIGHTS / FISCAL / INSTITUTIONS /
TRADITIONAL INSTITUTIONS (Bills 26โ37)
26. Bill NO. 26: A BILL FOR AN ACT TO ALTER THE CONSTITUTION OF THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA, 1999 TO PROVIDE FOR THE INCLUSION OF TOURISM AND TOURISM-RELATED MATTERS ON THE CONCURRENT LEGISLATIVE LISTโฆ 2025โจโ Moves tourism to Concurrent List.
27. Bill NO. 27: A BILL FOR AN ACT TO AMEND THE CONSTITUTION OF THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA, 1999 TO PROVIDE SPECIAL PROTECTION FOR CHILDREN; AND FOR RELATED MATTERS, 2025โจโ Adds section on best interests of the child, protection from violence/abuse, access to justice.
28. Bill NO. 28: A BILL FOR AN ACT TO ALTER THE CONSTITUTION OF THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA, 1999 TO FURTHER DEFINE ACTS THAT CONSTITUTE TORTURE, INHUMAN OR DEGRADING TREATMENTโฆ 2025โจโ Explicitly includes public parading of arrested suspects as torture/degrading treatment.
29. Bill NO. 29: A BILL FOR AN ACT TO ALTER THE CONSTITUTION OF THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA, 1999 TO PROTECT THE RIGHT OF AN UNBORN CHILD BEING CARRIED BY A PREGNANT WOMAN SENTENCED TO DEATHโฆ 2025โจโ Pregnant women sentenced to death get life imprisonment instead.
30. Bill NO. 30: A BILL FOR AN ACT TO ALTER THE CONSTITUTION OF THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA, 1999 TO PROVIDE FOR THE RIGHT TO A CLEAN, SAFE, AND HEALTHY ENVIRONMENTโฆ 2025โจโ Elevates right to clean/safe/healthy environment under right to life.
31. Bill NO. 31: A BILL FOR AN ACT TO ALTER THE CONSTITUTION OF THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA, 1999 TO MANDATE ALL GOVERNMENT STATUTORY CORPORATIONSโฆ TO SUBMIT YEARLY FINANCIAL STATEMENT TO THE AUDITOR GENERALโฆ 2025โจโ Requires audited financial statements from all agencies within 90โ180 days.
32. Bill NO. 32: A BILL FOR AN ACT TO ALTER THE CONSTITUTION OF THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA, 1999 TO PROVIDE FOR THE PUBLIC DISCLOSURE OF REPORTS OF THE AUDITOR GENERALโฆ 2025โจโ Mandates public disclosure of Auditor-General reports within 90 days.
33. Bill NO. 33: A BILL FOR AN ACT TO ALTER THE CONSTITUTION OF THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA, 1999 TO INCREASE THE NUMBER OF MEMBERS OF THE FEDERAL CIVIL SERVICE COMMISSIONโฆ 2025โจโ Ensures one representative per state + FCT on Federal Civil Service Commission.
34. Bill NO. 34: A BILL FOR AN ACT TO ALTER THE CONSTITUTION OF THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA, 1999 TO ENSURE THAT EVERY LOCAL GOVERNMENT IN EACH STATE HAS AT LEAST ONE MEMBER REPRESENTING THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT IN THE HOUSE OF ASSEMBLYโฆ 2025โจโ Guarantees at least one House of Assembly member per Local Government (increases max members to 44).
35. Bill NO. 35: A BILL FOR AN ACT TO ALTER THE CONSTITUTION OF THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA, 1999 TO SEPARATE THE OFFICE OF THE GOVERNOR FROM THAT OF THE DEPUTY GOVERNOR ON ISSUES OF QUALIFICATION OR DISQUALIFICATIONโฆ 2025โจโ Allows governor to replace disqualified deputy without affecting the governorโs election.
36. Bill NO. 36: A BILL FOR AN ACT TO ALTER THE CONSTITUTION OF THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA, 1999 TO ESTABLISH COUNCIL OF TRADITIONAL RULERS IN NIGERIA; AND FOR RELATED MATTERS, 2025โจโ Creates State Council of Traditional Rulers as a state executive body.
37. Bill NO. 37: A BILL FOR AN ACT TO ALTER THE CONSTITUTION OF THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA, 1999 TO PROVIDE A STABLE AND STATUTORY SOURCE OF FUNDING FOR THE TRADITIONAL INSTITUTION IN NIGERIAโฆ 2025โจโ Mandates at least 5% of local government funds for Traditional Councils (via state law).
Some of the best things take time.
A skill takes time.
A business takes time.
Confidence takes time.
That is why we believe in supporting women who are committed to the journey, women who continue showing up for themselves, their families, and their goals.