Precious Nwonu, Enugu
The National Assembly has forwarded the 2026 Constitution alteration bill to the Houses of Assembly of the 36 states for consideration, with the state legislatures expected to communicate their decisions within 30 days of receiving the proposals.
However, the National Assembly clarified that the 30-day period is an administrative timeframe and is not a deadline imposed by the 1999 Constitution.
The Clerk to the National Assembly, Kamoru Ogunlana, transmitted the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (Sixth Alteration) Bill, 2026, to the state legislatures on Wednesday following a directive from the leadership of the National Assembly.
The transmission marks the beginning of the state legislature stage of the constitutional amendment process.
In a statement, Ogunlana said the action was taken in line with Section 9 of the 1999 Constitution, which sets out the requirements for altering the country’s supreme law.
He said the proposed amendments must receive the approval of at least two-thirds of the 36 state Houses of Assembly before the process can move forward.
According to him, the National Assembly had completed its part of the legislative process by passing the proposed alterations in both chambers before transmitting the bill to the states.
The state legislatures are now expected to consider the proposals according to their respective legislative procedures and forward their resolutions to the National Assembly.
Ogunlana explained that the Constitution does not specify a period within which state assemblies must communicate their decisions on constitutional alteration bills.
He said the 30-day period was therefore introduced to facilitate a coordinated and timely consideration of the proposals.
“The Constitution does not prescribe a specific period within which the state Houses of Assembly are required to communicate their resolutions on a constitutional alteration Bill.
“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.
“For clarity, the 30-day period is an expected administrative timeframe and does not constitute a constitutional deadline,” he stated.
The National Assembly also stressed that the transmission of the bill was not intended to dictate how the state legislatures should vote or consider the proposals.
According to Ogunlana, the state Houses of Assembly have a constitutional responsibility in the process and are expected to exercise their legislative powers independently.
He said the National Assembly remained committed to conducting the amendment exercise in accordance with the Constitution, due process and the responsibilities assigned to the different levels of the legislature.
The latest development followed the passage of the proposed constitutional alterations by the Senate and the House of Representatives.
Under Section 9, a constitutional alteration bill must first secure the required majority in both chambers of the National Assembly before being submitted to the state legislatures.
For an amendment to proceed, at least 24 of the 36 state Houses of Assembly must approve it.
The process comes amid the National Assembly’s earlier assurance that the constitutional review would be concluded before the end of the tenure of the 10th National Assembly in June 2027.
The timeline has generated attention because of preparations for the 2027 general elections and concerns that the review could face delays similar to previous constitutional amendment efforts.
Chairman of the Senate Committee on Media and Publicity, Yemi Adaramodu, had said the proposed amendments would be completed within the lifespan of the current National Assembly.
Adaramodu also clarified that January 2027 would not mark the end of the 10th National Assembly, noting that its tenure would run until June 2027.
He said the recently passed Electoral Act had addressed concerns relating to the timing of the 2027 general elections.
Senate President Godswill Akpabio had similarly said lawmakers would be able to combine their political activities with their legislative responsibilities.
The proposed constitutional review covers issues relating to governance, political restructuring and other aspects of Nigeria’s constitutional framework.
The transmission of the bill to the 36 state Houses of Assembly has now shifted the next major stage of the amendment process to the state legislatures, whose resolutions will determine whether the proposals can proceed further under the constitutional procedure.