The Nigerian House of Representatives has passed a bill for a second reading proposing the creation of the Office of the Prime Minister, which would serve as the Head of Government, alongside the President, who would remain as the Head of State.
The bill, sponsored by the House Minority Leader, Kingsley Chinda, and 59 other lawmakers, seeks to amend the Nigerian Constitution to clearly define separate roles for these two top positions.
If passed into law, the bill would introduce a parliamentary system of governance alongside the current presidential system.
Under this arrangement, the Prime Minister would assume control of the day-to-day operations of the government, while the President would retain ceremonial and symbolic duties as the Head of State.
In addition to the Prime Minister bill, the House passed several other significant bills for second reading.
These include measures to review the election processes for State Governors, Deputy Governors, and the appointment of Commissioners.
Another proposal seeks to streamline the election process for Local Government Chairmen and Vice-Chairmen.
One notable bill that gained attention seeks to establish pre-election tribunals to expedite the resolution of election petitions, ensuring that disputes are settled before candidates assume office.
Lawmakers also considered a bill that would grant the National Assembly and state assemblies the power to summon the President and state governors to answer questions on matters of national security and governance.
A separate bill was passed for second reading that proposes to transfer the authority to register and regulate political parties from the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to the Office of the Registrar General of Political Parties.
Additionally, a bill to ensure timely budgetary processes by setting clear timelines for the presentation of the Appropriations Bill was advanced.
As the legislative session continues, Deputy Speaker Benjamin Kalu has urged lawmakers to submit any proposals for state creation by March 31, 2025.
A total of 30 new state creation requests have been submitted, although none of them meet the constitutional threshold.
The bills, including the one to establish the Prime Minister’s office, will be referred to the Special Ad-hoc Committee on Constitution Review for further deliberation.
All bills related to constitutional amendments will be carefully reviewed by the Special Ad-hoc Committee on Constitution Review to ensure their alignment with Nigeria’s best interests.
Should the bill to reintroduce the Office of the Prime Minister pass into law, it would mark a return to Nigeria’s pre-1966 political structure, where the Prime Minister served as the head of government, before the office was replaced by the President.
