Senators reconvene to conclude constitution review

The Senate will reconvene in Abuja on Tuesday following the end of its legislative recess, with the completion of the review of Nigeria’s 1999 Constitution expected to dominate proceedings.

According to legislative sources, senators will resume consideration of the remaining constitutional amendment bills after giving priority passage to the State Police Bill on June 24.

A source familiar with the process said attention would now shift to the outstanding amendment proposals, noting that they are ready for consideration after the state police legislation was separated for urgent treatment.

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Earlier, the Joint Senate and House of Representatives Committee on Constitution Review had compiled a report covering all proposed constitutional amendment bills. However, its presentation at the Senate was postponed in June to allow lawmakers to focus exclusively on the State Police Bill, which was described as a matter of national importance.

The committee’s chairman and Deputy Senate President, Barau Jibrin, previously disclosed that the panel processed 69 constitutional amendment bills, 55 requests for state creation, two boundary adjustment proposals, and 278 applications for the creation of new local government areas.

Among the key proposals awaiting consideration is the Special Seats Bill, which seeks to increase female representation in elective offices by creating 182 additional women-only legislative seats nationwide. The proposal includes 37 new Senate seats, 37 House of Representatives seats, and 108 seats across the State Houses of Assembly without altering existing constituencies.

The bill failed during the previous constitutional amendment exercise after facing opposition from many lawmakers. Despite renewed advocacy by its promoters, its chances of passage remain uncertain.

Chairman of the Senate Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Yemi Adaramodu, said the National Assembly intends to conclude work on all outstanding constitutional amendment bills before the end of the current legislative session.

Under Section 9(2) of the 1999 Constitution, any amendment must secure the support of at least two-thirds of members in both chambers of the National Assembly—72 senators and 240 members of the House of Representatives—before proceeding to the state legislatures. Approval by at least 24 of the 36 State Houses of Assembly is required before the amendment returns to the National Assembly for final adoption and presidential assent.

Aside from constitutional matters, senators may also address the controversy involving the Director-General of the Presidential Economic Advisory Council/Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council (PEAC/PFIPC), Prince Adeniyi Adeyemi, who accused the President’s Chief of Staff, Femi Gbajabiamila, of demanding a ₦400 million bribe and seeking 48 percent of the agency’s ₦27.4 billion take-off grant.

The Presidency has denied the allegations. The matter has also drawn attention because the National Assembly approved a ₦1.3 billion allocation for the agency in the 2026 budget, raising expectations that lawmakers may scrutinize the issue when plenary resumes.