The House of Representatives has advanced thirty-nine constitution amendments on Tuesday.
The majority of the bill passed a second reading with the goal of changing Nigeria’s electoral and judicial systems.
Ten of these bills centre on judicial reform, and thirteen aim to improve the electoral system. To make their second reading at plenary easier, the House suspended its norms.
Judicial Reforms
Among the bills passed for a second reading is a Bill for an Act to alter the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999, making recommendations by the National Judicial Council mandatory for the removal of heads of Nigerian courts.
The House, Marcus Onobun, and Abbas Tajudeen are the bill’s sponsors. It aims to modify the constitution’s Section 292(1)(a)(i) and (ii).
The Bill seeks to alter Section 292(1)(a)(i) and (ii) of the constitution of such that the heads of Nigerian courts shall only be removed from office upon prior investigation by the National Judicial Council of the allegations laid out in the address by Senate or the state legislatures respectively carried out and concluded within six weeks in line with the Supreme Court judgment in Elelu-Habeeb & Anor. v. A-G of the Federation & 2 Ors. (2012) 13 N.W.L.R.
A bill to create the Ecclesiastical Court of Appeal for the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, and similar courts throughout the states to decide Christian religious cases was also advanced by the House.
Furthermore, a measure was enacted to remove the Supreme Court from appeals pertaining to governorship, National Assembly, and State House of Assembly elections, making the Court of Appeal the last court of appeals.
Another bill would give the Court of Appeal original jurisdiction over cases involving governors or deputy governors.
A bill to give the Federal High Court the authority to hear cases involving offences resulting from breaking the Electoral Act and other relevant laws was also approved by the House.
In order to protect judicial independence, a bill was also pushed to tighten the process for dismissing judicial authorities and guarantee a seamless transfer for substantive heads of courts in Nigeria.
The aim of another law is to reduce the overabundance of authority held by state chief judges.
The House advanced a bill to increase the number of judges on the Supreme Court in order to increase judicial efficiency and ensure that justice is administered more quickly. A bill was also enacted that, under certain circumstances, would allow the Chief Justice of Nigeria, justices, and judges of particular courts to be considered to have resigned.
In order to ensure participation from all of Nigeria’s geopolitical zones, another bill aims to expand the Code of Conduct Tribunal’s membership from three to seven members.
Electoral Reforms
A bill to create a Political Parties Registration and Regulatory Commission, which would be in charge of registering, overseeing, and regulating political parties, was advanced by the house in the area of electoral reform.
Another electoral reform bill aims to require that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), in consultation with the National Assembly, determine the date of the simultaneous general elections for the President, Governors, National Assembly, State Houses of Assembly, and Local Government Area Councils.
Another bill calls for the mandatory resignation of national and state executive members of political parties who plan to run for elective office, and another bill amends Sections 68(1)(g) and 109(1)(g) of the Constitution to require lawmakers to formally resign from their parties before switching to another.
Additionally, the House passed a bill to guarantee that all election appeals from election tribunals are decided prior to the swearing-in of elected individuals, such as members of the National and State Assemblies, the President, Vice-President, Governors, and Deputy Governors.
A bill to give INEC the authority to hold elections for Local Government Area Councils, taking the place of state electoral commissions, is one of the further electoral reforms.
Conversely, another bill seeks to establish the National Local Government Electoral Commission as an independent body responsible for organising, conducting, and supervising elections for chairpersons and councillors across Nigeria, including the Federal Capital Territory. This reform aims to ensure the credibility, transparency, and fairness of local government elections while promoting grassroots democratic governance.
Furthermore, INEC was given the ability to conduct local government elections after a bill was approved to relieve state Independent Electoral Commissions of this responsibility.
Other electoral reform bills include plans to change the National Assembly’s authority to modify election tribunal timeframes, control election timelines and expand the Court of Appeal’s original jurisdiction to include petitions for gubernatorial and deputy governorship elections.
Another Bill sought to amend Sections 143(2)(a) and 188(2)(a) of the Constitution.
The other bills aim for inclusive government and suggest changes to the legislature. Among them are:
A Bill to alter the Constitution to Provide for the establishment of State Police and Local Government Police; a Bill to make provision for the Chief Justice of Nigeria to make Proclamation on the Inauguration of National Assembly.
A Bill to Specify the Time Within Which the Executive Shall Present to the National Assembly any Treaty Between the Federation and any Other Country for Enactment; A Bill to alter the Oath Taking of the Members of the National Assembly and Members of Assembly in Sections 52, and 94 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
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A Bill to remove transitional Law-Making Powers from the Executive Arm of Government; A Bill to establish the FCT House of Assembly; A Bill to regulate the Application of Regional and International Human Rights Treaties Ratified by Nigeria; A Bill to provide for Uniform Standards and remove ambiguity.
A bill that would allocate special seats for people with physical disabilities in local, state, and federal legislatures; a bill that would allocate six special seats for special interest groups in the House of Representatives; and other related matters.
A bill to guarantee gender equality in the Federal Character Commission’s composition; a bill to amend the Federal Republic of Nigeria’s 1999 Constitution to allow public servants to work in healthcare production, education, and services outside of farming.
A Bill to Provide for the Recognition and Development of the Geo-Political Zones in Nigeria; A Bill to Change the Name of the Auditor-General of the Federation to Auditor-General of the Federal Government; A Bill to Remove the Restriction Placed on Power and Duties of the Auditor-General of the Federation and States by Sections 85(2) and 125(2) Respectively and to Insert New Sections in the Constitution that Shall Provide for the Financial Autonomy of the Offices of the Auditor-General of the Federation and of the States.
A bill to increase the roles of the state auditor general and the office of the federation auditor general.
