The House of Representatives on Tuesday March 25th, passed 39 bills on constitutional amendments for a second reading in a single sitting.
The bills were passed without the usual debate, following a motion by the House Leader to suspend House rules and consider them collectively. Deputy Speaker Benjamin Kalu, who presided over the plenary, approved the suspension, allowing the bills to progress together.
The 39 bills were categorized into six key areas, with Judicial Reform having (10 bills), Legislature (7 bills), Inclusive Governance (3 bills), Security (1 bill), and finally Electoral Matters which had (13 bills). Other Constitutional Issues and
Key proposals among the bills include:
• Making the recommendations of the National Judicial Council (NJC) mandatory for the removal of heads of Nigerian courts.
• Establishing an Ecclesiastical Court of Appeal for both the Federation and the states.
• Designating the Court of Appeal as the final court for governorship and legislative election disputes.
The fast-tracking of these amendments marks a significant step in constitutional reforms.
