House Of Reps Passes Independent Candidacy Bill Into Law

Nigeria’s House of Representatives, on Tuesday, passed the independent candidacy bill into law ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Naija News reports that the bill was passed into law during a plenary session chaired by the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gabjabiamila.

In passing the bill, the House directed the Clerk to the National Assembly to transmit the bill to President Muhammadu Buhari for his assent. The bill was part of the constitution alteration bill No. 58.

Similarly, the House also passed a bill seeking to include the presiding officers of the National Assembly as members of the National Security Council (NSC).

Essentially, the bill will alter the third schedule of the principal act to insert paragraphs (bb) and (ba) into the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (Fifth Alteration) Bill No. 46 to admit the President of the Senate and Speaker of the House of Representatives.

In passing the bill, the House directed the Clerk to the National Assembly to transmit the bill to President Buhari for his assent. It also urged the Jigawa, Kebbi, Kwara, Plateau, and Taraba State Houses of Assembly to forward their input on the bills.

The lawmakers’ resolution was a sequel to the adoption of a motion sponsored by Deputy Speaker, Hon. Idris Wase; Minority leader Hon. Ndudi Elumelu, Hon. Babajimi Benson, and 76 other lawmakers.

The motion recalled that “on Wednesday, May 3, 2023; the Clerk to the National Assembly was directed to transmit the Constitution, 1999 (Fifth Alteration) Bill No. 47 that has met the requirement of Section 9(2) of the Constitution to the President for assent. Also recall that the Houses of Assembly of Gombe, Jigawa, Kebbi, Kwara, Plateau, and Taraba States that were yet to forward their resolutions were urged to do so in compliance with Constitutional obligation.

“The Gombe State House of Assembly has accordingly forwarded its resolution. Convinced that with the approval of Gombe State House of Assembly, the Constitution, 1999 (Fifth Alteration) Bill Nos. 46 (Membership of the National Security Council to include Presiding Officers of the National Assembly), 2023 and 58 (Independent Candidacy), 2023 have met the provisions of Section 9(2) of the Constitution, for passage.”