Nigerians must know these new laws

 House of Reps to Vote Today on 37 Landmark Constitutional Amendment Bills 

Abuja, 11 June 2026— The House of Representatives is set to vote today on 37 constitutional amendment bills covering electoral reforms, judicial restructuring, security, local government autonomy, citizenship rights, and traditional institutions.

The bills, listed for consideration under the 1999 Constitution amendment process, represent one of the most extensive reform packages before the 10th National Assembly. If passed, they will proceed to the Senate and then to state assemblies for ratification.

Electoral Reforms: Independent Candidates and SIEC Powers

Bills 1–3 target Nigeria’s electoral system.  

Bill 1 proposes independent candidacy for presidential, governorship, National Assembly, State Assembly and council elections. Candidates must present verified signatures of 10% of registered voters from 2/3 of the relevant areas, with INEC/SIEC handling verification. It also provides a 50% fee waiver for women candidates.

Bill 2 sets integrity, age and non-partisanship criteria for State Independent Electoral Commission, SIEC, members and grants SIECs independent rule-making powers without governor approval. It expands SIEC functions to include voter education, campaign monitoring, party primaries and referendums.

Bill 3 seeks to establish an Electoral Offences Commission as a federal executive body funded through a first-line charge, with powers to investigate and prosecute electoral offences to be prescribed by an Act.

Judicial reforms: Supreme Court Burden and Case Disposal

Bills 4–6 focus on the judiciary.  

Bill 4 reduces the Supreme Court’s appellate burden by requiring leave for most appeals, except in presidential/vice-presidential election cases, repositioning it as a court of policy.

Bill 5 clarifies the Chief Justice of Nigeria as Head of the Judiciary and mandates that appeals to the Supreme Court be disposed of within 360 days.

Bill 6 allows Federal High Court judges elevated to higher courts to conclude part-heard criminal matters where prosecution has closed, within 6 months excluding vacation.

Security and Policing

Bill 7 proposes the establishment of State Police by replacing “Nigeria Police Force” with “Police” in relevant constitutional sections.

Bill 8 places funding for the Armed Forces on first-line charge, similar to INEC, the National Assembly and the Judiciary, to guarantee financial independence.

Local Government Autonomy

Bills 9–17 address local government governance.  

Bill 9 recognises local governments as a third tier of government and adjusts federalism and legislative powers accordingly.  

Bill 10 creates independent State Auditors-General for Local Governments and FCT Area Councils.  

Other bills in this cluster deal with council elections, funding, and oversight structures.

Citizenship and Gender Representation

Bill 18 makes spousal citizenship gender-neutral with a 5-year residency requirement.  

Bill 19 allows the National Assembly to prescribe citizenship by investment.  

Bill 20 creates additional special, temporary seats for women in the Senate, House of Representatives and State Houses of Assembly, filled via an electoral college with states grouped into geo-political zones.

Legislature and Executive Powers

Bills 21–25 reform legislative processes.  

Bill 21 institutionalises legislative bureaucracy by making the Clerk head of the Legislative Service.  

Bill 22 requires the President and governors to lay appropriation estimates at least 60 days before the end of the financial year.  

Bill 23 allows post-inauguration members with certificates of return to be sworn in.  

Bill 24 adds procedural safeguards for removing State House Speakers and Deputy Speakers.  

Bill 25 removes transitional law-making powers from the executive arm.

Human Rights, Fiscal Transparency and Devolution

Bills 26–35 cover devolution, rights and governance.  

Bill 26 moves tourism to the Concurrent Legislative List.  

Bill 27 adds constitutional protection for children, including best interests and protection from violence.  

Bill 28 explicitly defines public parading of suspects as torture or degrading treatment.  

Bill 29 commutes death sentences for pregnant women to life imprisonment to protect unborn children.  

Bill 30 elevates the right to a clean, safe and healthy environment under the right to life.  

Bill 31 mandates all government agencies to submit audited financial statements within 90–180 days.  

Bill 32 requires public disclosure of Auditor-General reports within 90 days.  

Bill 33 increases Federal Civil Service Commission membership to one per state plus FCT.  

Bill 34 guarantees at least one House of Assembly member per local government, raising the maximum to 44.  

Bill 35 allows a governor to replace a disqualified deputy without affecting the governor’s election.

Traditional Institutions

Bills 36–37 institutionalise traditional rulers.  

Bill 36 establishes State Councils of Traditional Rulers as state executive bodies.  

Bill 37 mandates at least 5% of local government funds for Traditional Councils, with implementation through state law.

Next Steps

Voting on the 37 bills is scheduled for today. Lawmakers will consider each bill clause-by-clause before a final vote. If approved by the House, the amendments will move to the Senate. Passage by two-thirds of the 36 state houses of assembly is required for the amendments to take effect.

The package has drawn attention from civil society, political parties and professional bodies, with debate expected on state police, independent candidacy, women’s seats, and local government autonomy.