By Gift ChapiOdekina, Abuja
The House of Representatives on Tuesday advanced a bill seeking to amend the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended), to mandate that all general elections—covering the offices of the President, State Governors, National Assembly, State Houses of Assembly, and Local Government Area Councils—be conducted simultaneously on a single date determined by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in consultation with the National Assembly.
Sponsored by Hon. Ikenga Ugochinyere, Hon. Francis Ejiroghene Waive, and 34 other lawmakers, the bill was presented for a second reading by House Leader Hon. Julius Ihonvbere.
The bill proposes amendments to Sections 76, 116, and 132 of the Constitution, inserting new provisions that stipulate:
“For the purposes of this section, all elections into the offices of the President, Governors, National Assembly, State Houses of Assembly, and Local Government Area Councils shall hold simultaneously on the same date to be determined by the Independent National Electoral Commission in consultation with the National Assembly and in accordance with the Electoral Act.”
Following deliberations, the bill was put to a voice vote by the Deputy Speaker, who presided over the session. A majority of lawmakers voted in favor, allowing the bill to progress further in the legislative process.
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