National Assembly, State Speakers Close Ranks as Constitution Review Hits Final Stretch

Nigeria’s Constitution amendment process moved into its most critical phase yet on Monday, as the National Assembly and the Conference of Speakers of State Legislatures forged a united front on the priority areas of the long-awaited reforms.
At a joint session in Abuja, Deputy Senate President and Chairman of the Senate Constitution Review Committee, Senator Jibrin I. Barau, announced that the exercise had transitioned into its “final sprint,” with lawmakers now shifting from lengthy debates to final decision-making on proposed alterations to the 1999 Constitution.
Monday’s gathering broke sharply from earlier sessions marked by clause-by-clause scrutiny and political disagreements. Instead, the meeting focused on ratifying previously negotiated agreements and digesting sub-committee reports on key issues such as state and local government creation, devolution of powers, and structural reforms recommended during nationwide public hearings.
Barau stressed that the involvement of State Houses of Assembly at this stage was deliberate, aimed at preventing approval delays and ensuring the constitutional requirement of securing their endorsement does not become a bottleneck.
“This meeting represents our point of convergence,” he said, revealing that the National Assembly intends to transmit the final amendment Bills to state legislatures before the close of 2025.
The latest development is being seen as a strategic move to solidify cooperation between federal and state lawmakers amid rising public demands for constitutional reforms capable of strengthening governance, improving security coordination, and enhancing accountability across institutions.
With the committees now entering the final review stage, Monday’s alignment between the two tiers of the legislature signals a decisive shift toward consolidating the reform agenda. Observers say the convergence could pave the way for one of the most far-reaching constitutional overhauls since Nigeria’s return to democracy.