National Assembly sends 2026 Constitution amendment bill to states

The 2026 Constitution amendment bill has moved to the 36 state Houses of Assembly, where lawmakers have been asked to send their resolutions back to the National Assembly within 30 days.

The Clerk to the National Assembly, Kamoru Ogunlana, transmitted the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (Sixth Alteration) Bill, 2026, after a directive from the National Assembly leadership. The 30-day request was described as an administrative timeframe, not a constitutional deadline.

Under Section 9 of the Constitution, any alteration must be approved by at least two-thirds of the state Houses of Assembly before it can move forward. That means at least 24 of the 36 state assemblies must support the changes.

The transmission follows approval of proposed changes by the Senate and House of Representatives. Premium Times reported that the state police proposal is among the major issues in the wider amendment process, although Ogunlana’s statement did not list every item sent to the states.

The National Assembly said it would take the next step after receiving the states’ resolutions. Ogunlana said the process must respect the independence of state legislatures while keeping the amendment timetable orderly.

Sources: Punch, Daily Trust, Premium Times