The National Assembly has transmitted the 2026 Constitution alteration bill to the Houses of Assembly in all 36 states, beginning the next stage of the constitutional amendment process.
The state legislatures have been asked to consider the proposals and communicate their resolutions to the National Assembly within 30 days of receiving the bill. However, the National Assembly clarified that the 30-day period is an administrative timeframe and not a constitutional deadline.
The transmission was carried out on Wednesday, September 16, by the Clerk to the National Assembly, Kamoru Ogunlana, following a directive from the leadership of the federal legislature.
Ogunlana said the Sixth Alteration Bill, 2026, was transmitted to the state Houses of Assembly in accordance with Section 9 of the 1999 Constitution.
States required to consider proposals
Under the constitutional amendment procedure, proposed alterations must receive the required level of support from the state legislatures before the process can advance.
At least two-thirds of the 36 state Houses of Assembly — 24 states — must approve the relevant constitutional alteration.
The state assemblies are therefore expected to examine the bill according to their individual legislative procedures before forwarding their decisions to the National Assembly.
Ogunlana stressed that the federal legislature recognised the constitutional responsibility and independence of the state Houses of Assembly.
He said the transmission was intended to facilitate the legislative process and was not an attempt to influence how individual states should vote on the proposals.
30 days not a constitutional deadline
The Clerk specifically clarified the meaning of the 30-day period given to the states.
According to him, the Constitution does not specify a particular period within which state Houses of Assembly must communicate their decisions on constitutional alteration bills.
The 30-day period was therefore established as an administrative target aimed at ensuring that the process progresses in an organised and timely manner.
The clarification means that failure by a state legislature to communicate its resolution within 30 days would not, by itself, amount to a breach of a constitutional deadline.
National Assembly awaits state resolutions
The constitutional review process has already passed through consideration by both chambers of the National Assembly, paving the way for the bill to be forwarded to the states.
Once the 36 state Houses of Assembly conclude their deliberations, their resolutions will be returned to the National Assembly for the next stage of the process.
The National Assembly said it would then take the necessary steps in line with the constitutional provisions governing amendments.
The current review covers a range of proposed changes to Nigeria’s constitutional framework, with issues including electoral reforms, security and policing, local government administration, devolution of powers, judicial reforms and other governance matters among the areas under consideration.
The process is taking place as the 10th National Assembly seeks to complete the constitutional review before the end of its tenure in June 2027.
For any proposed amendment to become part of the Constitution, it must satisfy the specific approval requirements contained in Section 9 of the 1999 Constitution.
