Bill for one-day general elections passes second reading

House of Representatives

Bill for one-day general elections passes second reading.

The House of Representatives on Tuesday passed for second reading a bill seeking to adjust the 1999 Constitution to accommodate presidential, governorship, National Assembly, state assembly, and local government elections to be held on the same day.

Being sponsored by Imo lawmaker Ikenga Ugochinyere and 35 others, the bill was presented during plenary by House Leader Prof. Julius Ihonvbere.

The bill proposes an amendment to Section 116 of the Constitution by inserting a new subsection (3), which states that:

“All elections into the offices of President, Governors, National Assembly, State Houses of Assembly, and Local Government Area Councils shall hold simultaneously on the same date to be determined by the Independent National Electoral Commission in consultation with the National Assembly and in accordance with the Electoral Act.”

A similar amendment is proposed for Section 132, adding a new paragraph (a) to subsection (1), reinforcing the requirement for all elections to be conducted simultaneously.

When put to a voice vote by Deputy Speaker Benjamin Kalu, who presided over the session, lawmakers overwhelmingly backed the bill. It was subsequently referred to the House Committee on Constitution Review for further legislative consideration.