The House of Representatives Committee on Constitutional Review is currently considering a proposal to amend the 1999 Constitution to limit the number of ministers appointed by the president to 37......Read The Full Article>>.....Read The Full Article>>
The proposed bill, titled “A Bill for an Act to Amend the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 to Streamline the Number of Ministers Appointed to the Federal Executive Council,” is being reviewed by the committee, which is chaired by Deputy Speaker Benjamin Kalu.
The bill is sponsored by representatives from the Darazo/Ganjuwa and Kaga/Gubio/Magumeri Federal Constituencies of Bauchi and Borno states, respectively.
The objective of the bill is to amend Section 147 (1) of the Constitution to state, “There shall be such offices of Ministers of the Government of the Federation, not exceeding 37, as may be established by the President.”
Currently, under President Bola Tinubu, the Federal Executive Council comprises 45 ministers, including both substantive ministers and Ministers of State.
Traditionally, the Nigerian president appoints one minister from each of the 36 states, with additional appointments made based on other factors in cabinet formation.
Bauchi lawmaker Mansur Soro, who sponsors the bill, explained in an interview with The PUNCH that the proposal aims to streamline governance by reducing duplication of duties, minimizing costs, and improving efficiency at the federal level. He argued that the number of ministers should be reduced, stating, “A minister per state is enough, while also considering the Federal Capital Territory.”
Soro, a member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), also disagreed with the idea that the president should appoint more than two ministers from any one state to accommodate technocrats. He pointed out that the president has other key government agencies and ministerial parastatals to include technocrats or politicians. For example, Ogun State currently has four ministers, while other states have only one.
