By Mercy Adi
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 and approval.
The Clerk to the National Assembly, Kamoru Ogunlana, disclosed this in a statement issued on Wednesday following a directive by the leadership of the National Assembly.
Ogunlana said the transmission marked the next stage in the constitutional alteration process and was carried out pursuant to Section 9 of the 1999 Constitution.
Section 9 stipulates the procedure for altering the Constitution and requires the approval of not less than two-thirds of the state Houses of Assembly before certain constitutional alteration bills can be passed by the National Assembly.
The Clerk urged the state legislatures to consider the bill in accordance with their respective legislative procedures and communicate their resolutions to the National Assembly after concluding their deliberations.
Ogunlana said the state assemblies were expected to transmit their decisions within 30 days of receiving the bill, but clarified that the period was an administrative timeframe and not a constitutional deadline.
“For clarity, the 30-day period is an expected administrative timeframe and does not constitute a constitutional deadline,” he said.
He stressed that the state legislatures retained their constitutional independence in considering the proposed alterations.
“The National Assembly recognises the constitutional responsibility vested in the State Houses of Assembly and respects their independence in the consideration of the Bill,” Ogunlana said.
According to him, the transmission was intended to facilitate “the orderly discharge of their constitutional role in the process.”
The National Assembly said the constitutional alteration process required concurrence between the federal and state legislatures and adherence to the thresholds prescribed by Section 9 of the Constitution.
It added that it remained committed to ensuring that the process was conducted in compliance with the Constitution and guided by due process, institutional cooperation and respect for the legislative responsibilities of all tiers of government.
Upon receipt of the resolutions from the 36 state Houses of Assembly, the National Assembly will proceed with the next steps in accordance with the provisions of the Constitution.