The House of Representatives on Tuesday rejected a bill seeking to amend the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to strip the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) of its powers to register and regulate political parties.
The proposed amendment aimed to transfer these responsibilities to a newly created Office of the Registrar-General of Political Parties, a move its sponsors argued would enhance the independence and efficiency of political party regulation.
The bill was co-sponsored by the Speaker of the House, Rt. Hon. Abbas Tajudeen, and Hon. Francis Waive, but despite its high-profile backing, it failed to secure the support of the majority of lawmakers.
During the plenary session, presided over by Deputy Speaker Benjamin Kalu, the bill was presented for second reading.
However, when the motion was put to a voice vote, the “nays” carried the day, resulting in its rejection. The outcome reflected a broader reluctance within the House to tamper with INEC’s constitutional mandate, which many lawmakers argued is critical to maintaining electoral integrity and democratic governance in Nigeria.
In the same session, the House rejected six other constitutional amendment bills. Among them was a proposal by Deputy Speaker Benjamin Okezie Kalu to establish the principle of rotational presidency among Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones.
The bill was intended to promote inclusivity and address longstanding agitations over marginalization in the country’s leadership structure. Despite its intentions, the proposal was met with opposition and ultimately rejected by the majority of lawmakers.
A series of bills sponsored by the Leader of the House, Rep. Julius Ihonvbere, also suffered the same fate. These included a bill to establish independent Offices of State Auditors-General for Local Governments and the Federal Capital Territory Area Councils, aimed at strengthening fiscal oversight and enhancing governance at the grassroots level.
Another bill sought to increase the number of judges at the Federal High Court to at least 100, to address judicial bottlenecks and improve access to justice. Ihonvbere also proposed an amendment to expand the jurisdiction of the Federal High Court to cover admiralty matters, shipping, and navigation on Nigeria’s inland waterways, as well as all federal ports and carriage by sea.
Furthermore, a bill to empower the National Judicial Council, in collaboration with the National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission, to fix and review the salaries, allowances, and other emoluments of judicial officers and judiciary staff was also turned down.
In addition, a bill sponsored by Rep. Francis Ejiroghene Waive seeking the creation of Ughelli East Local Government Area in Delta State was rejected. While each bill had its advocates, the majority of lawmakers raised concerns ranging from constitutional implications to questions of necessity and timing.
Following the wave of rejections, the Chairman of the House Committee on Rules and Business made an appeal for the House to reconsider its decision, suggesting that the bills should be taken individually rather than in a collective vote.
However, Deputy Minority Leader, Hon. Ali Jesse, raised a point of order, citing Order 9, Rule 6 of the House Standing Orders, which stipulates that any attempt to rescind a previous vote must be brought forward as a substantive motion on notice.
The Speaker concurred with this position and directed the Committee on Rules and Business to list the motion for rescission on the order paper for the next legislative day.
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