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By Andrew Haruna
Abuja, March 26, 2025 – Nigeria’s Home of Representatives took a serious step towards constitutional reform Wednesday, advancing 42 modification payments in a sweeping transfer that might reshape the nation’s political and financial panorama.
The event brings the whole variety of constitutional modification payments passing second studying this week to 81, with proposals starting from useful resource management and state creation to governance reforms and citizenship rights. All payments have been referred to the Particular Committee on Structure Evaluation for additional legislative motion.
Key Reforms on the Desk
1. Useful resource Management Takes Middle StageA landmark proposal seeks to switch management of mines, minerals, oil fields and pure gasoline from the unique federal listing to the concurrent legislative listing (HB.200). Sponsored by Speaker Tajudeen Abbas and three different lawmakers, this might mark Nigeria’s most vital shift in useful resource governance since independence.
2. Push for New States Positive aspects MomentumLawmakers proposed creating 5 new states:
Orlu State (South-East) – HB.1430 (Ugochinyere, PDP-Imo)
Etiti State (South-East) – HB.1998 (Ozodinobi, LP-Anambra)
Oke-Ogun, Ijebu and Ife-Ijesa States (South-West) – HB.1098 (Oke, PDP-Osun)
Tiga State (North-West) – HB.1308 (Tijjani, NNPP-Kano)
3. Governance ReformsNotable proposals embrace:
Eradicating immunity for governors and deputies (HB.1664)
Strengthening native authorities autonomy (HB.1512)
Mandating well timed submission of monetary statements by authorities companies (HB.770)
4. Citizenship and RightsTwo groundbreaking payments suggest:
Citizenship by funding for certified foreigners (HB.2059)
Indigeneity rights after 10 years residency (HB.2057)
Why This Issues
These amendments come amid rising requires restructuring Nigeria’s federal system. The useful resource management proposal alone may dramatically alter fiscal federalism, whereas state creation bids mirror longstanding regional calls for for higher illustration.
What’s Subsequent?
The Particular Committee on Structure Evaluation will now conduct public hearings and refine the proposals. Any amendments that clear the Nationwide Meeting should then be ratified by no less than 24 state legislatures earlier than turning into regulation.
Political analysts recommend the method may take 12-18 months, with contentious points like useful resource management and state creation prone to face vigorous debate.
The Bureau Newspaper will proceed to trace these developments as Nigeria embarks on what may very well be its most consequential constitutional overview in many years.
– Reported by The Bureau’s Nationwide Meeting Correspondent– Further reporting by Political Affairs Desk
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