The Pacesetter Frontier Magazine

Tag: States

  • Only State Police Bill Sent To 36 States, National Assembly Clarifies

    Only State Police Bill Sent To 36 States, National Assembly Clarifies

    Precious Nwonu, Enugu

    The National Assembly has clarified that only the proposed constitutional amendment seeking to establish State Police Services has so far been transmitted to the 36 state Houses of Assembly.

    The clarification followed reports suggesting that the various Constitution Alteration Bills currently before the National Assembly had already been forwarded to the state legislatures for consideration.

    In a statement issued on Tuesday, the Clerk to the National Assembly, Kamoru Ogunlana, said the State Police Bill remained the only constitutional amendment proposal transmitted to the states.

    The statement was titled, “National Assembly Clarifies Transmission of Constitution Alteration Bill to State Houses of Assembly.”

    Ogunlana recalled that the National Assembly announced on September 16, 2026, that it had transmitted the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (Sixth Alteration) Bill, 2026, to the state legislatures.

    The bill, titled, “A Bill for an Act to Alter the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 to Provide for the Establishment of State Police Services; and for Related Matters,” seeks to provide a constitutional framework for the establishment of state police.

    “For the avoidance of doubt, it is only this particular Constitution Alteration Bill that has so far been transmitted to the State Houses of Assembly,” Ogunlana said.

    He added, “It is therefore incorrect to suggest or create the impression that all the Constitution Alteration Bills before the National Assembly have been transmitted to the States.”

    According to the Clerk, the decision to prioritise the State Police Bill was influenced by public demands for changes to the country’s policing system amid persistent security concerns.

    He explained that the other proposed constitutional amendments would only be forwarded to the state legislatures after both chambers of the National Assembly had passed them in identical form.

    “The other Constitution (Sixth Alteration) Bills before the National Assembly will be transmitted to the Houses of Assembly of the 36 States of the Federation upon their passage in identical form by both Chambers of the National Assembly, in accordance with the constitutional amendment process,” the statement said.

    The clarification comes as lawmakers continue to consider several proposed amendments to the 1999 Constitution covering policing and other aspects of Nigeria’s governance structure.

    The National Assembly said the constitutional amendment process would be conducted transparently and in accordance with the provisions of the 1999 Constitution.

    It also urged members of the public and the media to rely on official statements from the National Assembly when reporting on the status of the various Constitution Alteration Bills and their transmission to the states.

  • Constitution Amendment: 36 State Assemblies Get 30-Day Administrative Window

    Constitution Amendment: 36 State Assemblies Get 30-Day Administrative Window

    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.