…National Assembly says deadline is administrative, not constitutional
The National Assembly has transmitted the 2026 Constitution alteration bill to the 36 state Houses of Assembly, giving them an expected 30 days to consider the proposals and communicate their resolutions.
The Clerk to the National Assembly, Kamoru Ogunlana, however, clarified that the 30-day period is an administrative timeframe and not a constitutional deadline.
The transmission, which took effect on Wednesday following a directive from the leadership of the National Assembly, marks the beginning of the next phase of the constitutional amendment process.
According to Ogunlana, the bill was transmitted pursuant to Section 9 of the 1999 Constitution, which requires constitutional alteration bills to secure the approval of at least two-thirds of the state Houses of Assembly.
He said, “The National Assembly has commenced the next stage of the constitutional alteration process with the transmission of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (Sixth Alteration) Bill, 2026 to the Houses of Assembly of the 36 States of the Federation for their consideration and approval.”
Section 9 provides that a constitutional alteration bill must be approved by resolutions of not less than two-thirds of the 36 state legislatures before the process can proceed.
This means at least 24 state Houses of Assembly must approve the proposed alterations.
Ogunlana said the state legislatures were expected to consider the proposals according to their respective legislative procedures and forward their decisions to the National Assembly after concluding their deliberations.
He stressed that the Constitution does not specify a timeframe within which the state Houses of Assembly must communicate their decisions.
“Nevertheless, in the interest of an orderly, coordinated and timely conclusion of the constitutional alteration process, the state Houses of Assembly are expected to consider the Bill and communicate their respective resolutions to the National Assembly within 30 days of receipt,” he said.
“For clarity, the 30-day period is an expected administrative timeframe and does not constitute a constitutional deadline.”
The National Assembly also emphasised that the transmission was not intended to influence or dictate how the state legislatures should consider the proposed amendments.
Ogunlana said the National Assembly recognised the constitutional responsibility and independence of the state Houses of Assembly in the process.
He added that upon receipt of the states’ resolutions, the National Assembly would take the necessary steps in line with the Constitution.
The development followed the passage of the proposed constitutional alterations by both chambers of the National Assembly.
Under Section 9, a constitutional amendment must first secure the required majority in both the Senate and House of Representatives before being transmitted to the state legislatures for consideration.
The latest development comes amid concerns about whether the 10th National Assembly would complete the constitutional review before its tenure expires in June 2027.
The Senate had previously assured Nigerians that the exercise would be concluded within the lifespan of the current Assembly.
Chairman of the Senate Committee on Media and Publicity, Yemi Adaramodu, said the amendment proposals initiated by the 10th National Assembly would be passed before the expiration of its tenure.
He also clarified that January 2027 was not the terminal date of the current Assembly, noting that its tenure would run until June 2027.
The Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, had similarly maintained that preparations for the 2027 general elections would not prevent lawmakers from carrying out their constitutional responsibilities.
The ongoing constitutional review is expected to address proposals concerning governance, political restructuring and other aspects of Nigeria’s constitutional framework.
Unlike ordinary legislation, constitutional alteration is subject to the special procedure contained in Section 9 of the Constitution, including approval by both chambers of the National Assembly and at least two-thirds of the state Houses of Assembly.
With the transmission of the bill, the 36 state legislatures have now become central to the next stage of the process, as their resolutions will determine whether the proposed amendments can move forward before the 10th National Assembly ends its tenure in June 2027.
