A bill seeking to allow for independent candidacy during elections has scaled its second reading in the House of Representatives.
The bill, sponsored by the spokesperson for the House and chairman of the House Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Akin Rotimi, was read for the second time at plenary.
The bill, titled “Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (Alteration) Bill, 2024 (HB1630) (Independent Candidates),” is a legacy bill from previous assemblies and was reintroduced for consideration following its first reading on Thursday, September 26, 2024.
The bill was recommitted to the House Committee on Constitution Review for further comprehensive consideration and legislative action. This followed a motion moved by Rep. Isah Bello Ambarura (APC, Sokoto), Deputy Chairman of the House Committee on Rules and Business, and seconded by Akin Rotimi himself.
Speaking after the plenary session, Rotimi expressed his pride in advancing the bill, and stressed the importance of expanding political participation through independent candidacy.
“This legislative action is pivotal for the continued evolution of our democracy. It recognises the constitutional significance of offering citizens the option to run for public office independently, thereby ensuring greater inclusivity,” he said.
Rotimi observed that the bill’s progress is guided by the combined provisions of Order Twelve, Rule 17, and Order One, Rule 1(2) of the House of Representatives Standing Orders.
The bill seeks to amend Section 7 of the Principal Act by inserting new subsections “(4A)” and “(4B)” after subsection (4) to read: “(4A) Notwithstanding any other law, any individual eligible to vote or contest an election into the State House of Assembly shall have the right to be a candidate for election to any local government office notwithstanding that such individual does not belong to, or is not sponsored by any political party.”
The bill proposes in subsection (4B) that “A candidate who does not belong to, or is not sponsored by any political party shall only contest an election if (i) in the case of a Chairmanship election, such a candidate has obtained the verified signatures of at least 10 per cent of registered voters from at least two-thirds majority of all the electoral wards in the respective local government area.
It also proposes in subsection (4B)(ii) that “In the case of a Councillorship election, such a candidate obtains the signatures of at least 10 per cent of registered voters from at least two-thirds majority of all the polling units in the respective electoral wards.”
Similarly, the bill provides that “Section 65 of the Principal Act is further altered by substituting for subsection “(2)” a new subsection “(2)” – “(2) A person shall be qualified for election under subsection (1) of this section if he has been educated up to at least School Certificate level or its equivalent; and (a) he is a member of a political party and is sponsored by that party; (b) he is an independent candidate and has obtained the verified signatures of at least 10 per cent of registered voters from at least two-thirds majority of the local government areas in his Senatorial District or Federal Constituency, as the case may be.”
