Govs, Speakers Seek Common Ground on Constitution Amendment Bills

By Blessing Fali

Governors and Speakers of the 36 State Houses of Assembly are set to engage on the proposed 2026 constitutional amendment bills transmitted to the state legislatures by the National Assembly.

Chairman of the Conference of Speakers of State Legislatures of Nigeria and Speaker of the Delta State House of Assembly, Emomotimi Guwor, said the Speakers would consult with the Nigeria Governors’ Forum to harmonise their positions on the proposed amendments.

Guwor said the state legislatures would subject the bills to thorough scrutiny before taking final positions. He particularly noted that the proposed State Police Bill required careful consideration because of its implications for governance at the state level.

The National Assembly transmitted the 2026 Constitution Alteration Bill to the 36 State Houses of Assembly on September 16, in line with Section 9 of the 1999 Constitution.

At least 24 state legislatures, representing two thirds of the 36 states, must approve a constitutional amendment before the process can proceed.

The National Assembly has asked the state assemblies to communicate their resolutions within 30 days, although it clarified that the period is an administrative timeframe and not a constitutional deadline.

Guwor assured that all Speakers would be carried along and that the resolutions of the state legislatures would eventually be transmitted to the National Assembly.