The House of Representatives has rejected a bill that proposed rotating the offices of the President and Vice President among Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones.
The decision was taken on Tuesday during the second reading of the constitutional amendment bill at the National Assembly in Abuja.
The lawmakers also turned down six other amendment bills but agreed to revisit them individually on Wednesday.
During the debate, many members of the House opposed the idea of putting presidential rotation into the Constitution. They warned that it could cause more problems than it would solve.
Deputy Minority Leader, Aliyu Madaki, was one of the main voices against the bill. He said Nigeria already has the *Federal Character Commission* to ensure fairness in political appointments and elections. According to him, “Rotation should not be included in the Constitution. Political parties already have ways to ensure balance.”
Another lawmaker, Sada Soli from Katsina State, said that while the idea might sound fair, it could work against selecting the most qualified people to lead. “This could create more ethnic and regional rivalry,” he said.
Shina Oyedeji from Oyo State added that zoning the presidency could lead to more demands from other groups. “If we zone it to the South-West, which state gets it — Ogun or Oyo?” he asked. “Every tribe will want their turn. We need equal opportunity for all Nigerians.”
Bello El-Rufai, another lawmaker, raised the issue of what might happen if a president dies in office, as was the case with former President Umaru Musa Yar’adua. “There will always be cries of marginalisation in Nigeria. We should not create a risky law like this,” he warned.
Olumide Osoba from Ogun State said it was wrong to force political parties to pick their candidates from specific regions. “Let the people choose freely,” he said.
However, some lawmakers supported the bill. Minority Whip, Ali Isa, said every region deserves a chance to produce a president. He suggested the idea be extended to governors too, so that power moves between senatorial zones within states. “There are qualified Nigerians in every zone. We must allow fairness,” he said. “In 2027, let the presidency go to the North-East.”
Clement Jimbo from Akwa Ibom also supported the bill, saying it would help address past injustice against minority groups. He proposed that once each zone has had its turn, the rotation could be ended.
Despite the support from a few lawmakers, the bill did not pass. It failed to move to the next stage after a voice vote.
Other bills that were rejected include:
- A bill to remove INEC’s power to register and monitor political parties, and give it to a new office.
- A bill to create Ughelli East Local Government Area in Delta State.
- A bill to strengthen the powers of State Auditors-General for Local Governments and FCT Area Councils.
The House agreed to look at each of the bills again on their individual merits at a later time.
