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The House of Representatives has moved a step closer to restructuring Nigeria’s political system by advancing a bill that seeks to establish the Office of the Prime Minister as the head of government while retaining the Office of the President as head of state.
The bill, among 32 constitutional amendment bills, successfully passed its second reading on Thursday, March 27.
If passed into law, the bill would redefine Nigeria’s executive leadership structure, shifting from a solely presidential system to a hybrid model.
The proposed amendments also include provisions detailing the election process for both offices.
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In addition to the Prime Minister bill, the House also deliberated on a range of significant constitutional amendments, including a bill seeking to allocate specific seats for women in the National Assembly and state legislatures.
Lawmakers argue that such a move would enhance gender representation in governance.
Another crucial amendment seeks to reduce the time frame for determining pre-election petition cases.
The bill proposes the establishment of pre-election tribunals to expedite the resolution of electoral disputes and regulate the suspension of National Assembly members from legislative duties.
Further constitutional reforms under consideration include a bill to review the eligibility criteria for presidential, governorship, and deputy governorship candidates.
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Additionally, lawmakers debated a proposal addressing the status of the Federal Capital Territory in relation to presidential elections.
Among the other bills that progressed is a proposal for the creation of two new states—Wan State and Gobir State.
So far, the House has advanced 113 constitutional amendment bills to the second reading, signaling a potentially transformative period for Nigeria’s political and governance framework.