The House of Representatives has rejected a bill that sought to amend the 1999 constitution, proposing a six-year single tenure for the President, state governors, and area council chairmen.

On Thursday, the bill was put forward by Ikenga Ugochinyere, representing the Ideato North/Ideato South Federal Constituency in Imo State, alongside 33 co-sponsors. It aimed to introduce significant changes to the governance structure, including a proposal for rotating the presidency between Nigeria’s North and South regions, and rotating governorship positions among the three senatorial districts within each state.

The bill sought amendments to Sections 76, 116, 132, and 136 of the 1999 Constitution to address concerns about inclusive governance and reduce the costs linked to periodic elections.

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Key provisions in the bill included an amendment to Section 132, which proposed that presidential elections be rotated between the North and South every six years. Another significant proposal under Section 76 would have mandated that elections for the offices of President, Governors, and National Assembly members be held simultaneously, based on a schedule determined by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in consultation with the National Assembly.

However, when the bill was presented for a voice vote, Speaker Tajudeen Abbas, who was presiding over the plenary session, announced its rejection. The proposed constitutional amendments, while intended to promote stability and inclusivity, failed to garner the necessary support from the lawmakers.