Nigerian lawmakers move to create Office of Prime Minister

Reps are seeking to return Nigeria to the parliamentary system of government. 

A bill to create the Office of the Prime Minister as head of government and the Office of President as head of state, and to provide for a framework for the mode of election to both offices, has passed second reading in the House of Representatives. 

The proposed legislation was among the 32 constitutional amendment bills passed by the lawmakers during a plenary session presided over by Deputy Speaker Benjamin Kalu on Thursday  March 27. 

The proposed legislation, sponsored by Minority Leader Kingsley Chinda and 59 others, seeks to alter the 1999 Constitution to introduce a parliamentary framework that will shift executive authority from the President to a Prime Minister elected by the legislature. 

The bill is titled: “A Bill for an Act to Alter the Provisions of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 to Provide for the Office of the Prime Minister as Head of Government and the Office of President as Head of State and to Provide for a Framework for the Mode of Election to the Said Offices and for Related Matters.” 

Recall that Nigeria previously operated a parliamentary system in the First Republic, with Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa serving as Prime Minister and Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe as the ceremonial President. 

The system, which lasted from 1960 until the 1966 military coup, allowed executive authority to reside in the Prime Minister, who was chosen from the majority party in parliament, while the President served as the Head of State. 

Also among the bills passed by alwmakers on Thursday is a bill for an Act to alter the provisions of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999, to provide for specific seats for women in the National Assembly and state houses of assembly. 

Another is a bill for an Act to alter the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999, to reduce the period for determination of pre-election petition matters and provide for the establishment of pre-election tribunals for pre-election matters and regulate the process of suspending a member of the National Assembly from legislative duties. 

A bill for an Act to alter the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999, to review the requirements that qualifies persons to be elected as President and Vice-President, governors and deputy governors, passed second reading as well. 

Also, a bill for an Act to alter the provisions of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999, to review the status of the Federal Capital Territory as regards the election of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and bills for the creation of Wan State and Gobir State, equally passed second reading.