On May 13, 2025, the House of Representatives dismissed several constitutional amendment bills during a plenary session. The first of these bills sought to transfer the power to register and regulate political parties from the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to the Office of the Registrar-General of Political Parties. The bill, co-sponsored by Speaker Abbas Tajudeen and Francis Waive, was put to a voice vote and rejected by the majority of lawmakers.
A second proposal, presented by Deputy Speaker Benjamin Kalu, aimed to establish a rotational system for electing Nigeria’s president and vice president, across the country’s six geopolitical zones. This bill also faced strong opposition and was voted down.
The House further rejected a series of other amendments, including one that sought to create independent Offices of State Auditors-General for Local Governments and the Federal Capital Territory Area Councils. Another bill, proposing to increase the number of judges in the Federal High Court and expand its jurisdiction, was also dismissed. Additionally, a proposal to empower the National Judicial Council to set the salaries of judicial officers was not approved.
Finally, a bill to create the Ughelli East Local Government Area in Delta State was also voted down. Though some lawmakers voiced support for these proposals, the majority ultimately voted against them. After the rejections, the Chairman of the House Committee on Rules and Business called for reconsideration of the decisions, suggesting that the bills be debated individually. However, Deputy Minority Leader Ali Jesse raised concerns, referring to the rules of procedure, which require such matters to be handled as substantive motions. The Speaker agreed, and the committee was instructed to place the motion on the order paper for further consideration.
