National Assembly Transmits Constitution Amendment Bill to 36 State Assemblies

The National Assembly has forwarded the 1999 Constitution (Sixth Alteration) Bill, 2026 to the 36 state Houses of Assembly for examination and approval, signifying a crucial phase in the ongoing constitutional amendment process. This transmission, carried out on September 16, 2026, is in accordance with Section 9 of the amended constitution, which stipulates that a bill to alter the constitution requires approval from at least two-thirds of the state legislatures.

The clerk to the National Assembly, Kamoru Ogunlana, conveyed the bill to the state legislatures, requesting them to scrutinize the proposal according to their procedures and subsequently communicate their resolutions to the federal legislature within 30 days. While the constitution does not specify a specific timeframe for the state legislatures to respond, Ogunlana emphasized that the 30-day period serves as an administrative expectation to streamline the process.

The National Assembly has assured the states that their constitutional autonomy will be upheld throughout the amendment process. The transmission of the bill to the state legislatures now obliges them to independently evaluate the proposed alterations and decide whether to endorse or reject them based on their own legislative procedures.

The National Assembly has pledged to adhere strictly to the constitutional framework and legislative protocols throughout the amendment exercise.