2026 Constitution Amendment Bill Moves to States

The National Assembly has forwarded the 2026 Constitution alteration bill to the 36 State Houses of Assembly for consideration.

The transmission was carried out on Wednesday, September 16, 2026, following a directive from the leadership of the National Assembly.

In a statement issued in Abuja, the Clerk to the National Assembly, Kamoru Ogunlana, said the bill, officially known as the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (Sixth Alteration) Bill, 2026, was transmitted to all the state legislatures in accordance with Section 9 of the Constitution.

“The National Assembly has commenced the next stage of the constitutional alteration process with the transmission of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (Sixth Alteration) Bill, 2026 to the Houses of Assembly of the 36 States of the Federation for their consideration and approval,” Ogunlana said.

The constitution requires the approval of at least two-thirds of the state legislatures before an alteration bill can successfully pass through the prescribed process.

Ogunlana explained that Section 9 provides that a bill seeking to alter the Constitution cannot be passed by either chamber of the National Assembly unless it is approved by resolutions of not less than two-thirds of the 36 State Houses of Assembly.

“Section 9 of the Constitution provides, among other requirements, that a Bill for the purpose of altering the provisions of the Constitution shall not be passed by either House of the National Assembly unless it is approved by resolution of not less than two-thirds of the Houses of Assembly of the 36 States of the Federation,” he stated.

The National Assembly has asked the state assemblies to communicate their resolutions within 30 days of receiving the bill. However, the Clerk made it clear that the period should not be mistaken for a constitutional requirement.

“It is noted that the Constitution does not prescribe a specific period within which the State Houses of Assembly are required to communicate their resolutions on a constitutional alteration Bill,” the statement said.

The 30-day period, according to the National Assembly, was introduced as an administrative measure intended to ensure that the process moves forward in an organised and timely manner.

“Nevertheless, in the interest of an orderly, coordinated and timely conclusion of the constitutional alteration process, the State Houses of Assembly are expected to consider the Bill and communicate their respective resolutions to the National Assembly within 30 days of receipt,” Ogunlana said.

“For clarity, the 30-day period is an expected administrative timeframe and does not constitute a constitutional deadline,” he added.

The Clerk also stressed that the transmission of the bill should not be interpreted as an instruction to the state legislatures on how they should vote or deliberate on the proposals.

“The National Assembly recognises the constitutional responsibility vested in the State Houses of Assembly and respects their independence in the consideration of the Bill. The transmission is intended to facilitate the orderly discharge of their constitutional role in the process,” he said.

The 2026 constitutional amendment exercise is being undertaken under the special procedure prescribed by Section 9 of the 1999 Constitution, which requires wider legislative agreement than ordinary bills.

After consideration by the National Assembly, the proposals must receive the required level of support from the state legislatures before the amendment process can proceed to its subsequent stages.

Ogunlana assured that the National Assembly would continue to follow the constitutional requirements throughout the exercise.

“The National Assembly remains committed to ensuring that the constitutional alteration process is conducted in strict compliance with the Constitution and in accordance with the principles of due process, institutional cooperation and respect for the legislative responsibilities of all tiers of the legislature,” he said.

He added that the next stage would depend on the decisions eventually transmitted by the state assemblies.

“Upon receipt of the resolutions of the State Houses of Assembly, the National Assembly will proceed with the necessary steps in accordance with the provisions of the Constitution,” Ogunlana said.

About a week ago, the House of Representatives dismissed allegations that FCT Minister Nyesom Wike secured loans for infrastructure projects without the approval of the National Assembly.

Deputy Spokesperson of the House, Philip Agbese, said there was no evidence that Wike had violated any law or bypassed established procedures in financing projects in Abuja.

Agbese, a Labour Party lawmaker representing Benue State, was reacting to claims by Senator Ireti Kingibe, representing the FCT, that the territory had accumulated debts without obtaining the necessary legislative approvals.

Kingibe had said she raised the issue with the Senate leadership after reviewing information obtained from the Debt Management Office covering the period from August 2023 to March 2026.

“I have never seen Wike come to the National Assembly and before the Senate to ask for approval of anything,” Kingibe said in an interview with Channels Television.

Agbese rejected the allegation, maintaining that the FCT minister could not independently create a sovereign borrowing obligation and that public borrowing involves constitutional, statutory and administrative processes.

“Wike has committed no infraction in borrowings. There is no basis for the allegation that he has been borrowing money behind the back of the National Assembly,” Agbese said.

He added that borrowing for infrastructure was not unlawful where the required procedures and approvals had been followed.

“Borrowing for infrastructure development is not unlawful in itself, provided the prescribed approvals and procedures are followed,” he said.

Agbese also maintained that an increase in the FCT’s debt profile should not automatically be treated as proof of illegal borrowing, pointing to the scale of infrastructure projects undertaken in Abuja under Wike.

The House spokesman said the relevant issue was whether prescribed approvals had been obtained for specific transactions, rather than whether the FCT had recorded an increase in its debt profile.