The House of Representatives on Thursday advanced discussions on a bill seeking to reintroduce the parliamentary system of government in Nigeria. The proposed legislation, which aims to establish the Office of the Prime Minister as Head of Government and the Office of the President as Head of State, scaled second reading.
The bill, sponsored by House Minority Leader Kingsley Chinda and 59 other lawmakers, is part of a broader push to amend the constitution. Proponents argue that Nigeria’s First Republic, which operated under a parliamentary system, witnessed significant economic and political growth. They also highlight the high cost of running the current presidential system as a major concern.
Efforts to build support for the proposal began in 2024 when 60 lawmakers from different political parties initiated discussions on a possible return to parliamentary governance. They engaged with prominent national figures, including the Sultan of Sokoto, His Eminence Sa’ad Abubakar III, and former Vice Chancellor of Ahmadu Bello University, Prof. Ango Abdullahi, in a bid to rally support for the initiative.
Beyond the proposed shift in government structure, lawmakers are also advocating for other constitutional amendments. One of the bills seeks to reform the election process for state governors, deputy governors, and commissioners. Another aims to shorten the period for determining pre-election petitions by establishing pre-election tribunals.
The legislative agenda further includes a bill to regulate the suspension of elected National Assembly members. This follows the recent controversy surrounding the six-month suspension of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan after a heated exchange with Senate President Godswill Akpabio during a plenary session.
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Additionally, the House advanced a bill proposing changes to the electoral system, including a review of the simple majority requirement for electing the President and state governors. Another bill seeks to empower the National Assembly and state Houses of Assembly to summon the President and governors on issues of national security and governance.
In a significant move, lawmakers are considering transferring the responsibility of registering and regulating political parties from the Independent National Electoral Commission to the proposed Office of the Registrar General of Political Parties. The proposal aims to ensure greater transparency and accountability in party administration.
The House also passed for second reading a bill setting clear timelines for the presentation of the national budget. This measure seeks to prevent delays in budget approval and ensure timely implementation of government programs.
Meanwhile, Deputy Speaker Benjamin Kalu has given lawmakers sponsoring bills on state creation until March 31, to submit their proposals. A total of 30 new states have been proposed, but none currently meet the constitutional threshold required for approval.
All constitution amendment-related bills will be forwarded to the Special Ad-hoc Committee on Constitution Review, chaired by Deputy Speaker Kalu, for further deliberation. As the legislative process unfolds, the proposed reforms are expected to generate intense debate among stakeholders across the country.
Crediblenewsng.com
