The National Assembly has transmitted the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (Sixth Alteration) Bill, 2026, to the 36 state Houses of Assembly for consideration.
The transmission followed a directive from the leadership of the National Assembly, according to a statement issued on Wednesday by the Clerk to the National Assembly, Kamoru Ogunlana.
Ogunlana explained that the move was in accordance with Section 9 of the 1999 Constitution, which requires constitutional amendment Bills to receive the approval of at least two-thirds of the state legislatures before they can be passed by the National Assembly.
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He called on the state Houses of Assembly to consider the proposed amendment in accordance with their individual legislative procedures.
The Clerk also asked the state legislatures to forward their resolutions to the National Assembly after completing their deliberations.
According to Ogunlana, the Constitution does not prescribe a specific period within which state assemblies must communicate their decisions on constitutional amendment Bills.
He said, however, that the state legislatures are expected to respond within 30 days of receiving the Bill. He stressed that the 30-day period is an administrative timeframe and should not be regarded as a constitutional deadline.
The National Assembly said it recognised the constitutional responsibilities of the state legislatures and respected their independence throughout the consideration process.
It explained that transmitting the Bill was intended to enable the state assemblies to carry out their constitutional duties in an orderly manner.
The federal lawmakers said they would determine the next steps after receiving the resolutions of all 36 state Houses of Assembly.
The National Assembly also reaffirmed its commitment to constitutional procedures, due process, institutional cooperation and respect for the legislative responsibilities of the different tiers of government.
