House of Reps rejects Bill to strip INEC of Power to register Political Parties

In a decisive plenary session on Tuesday, the House of Representatives voted against several high-profile constitutional amendment bills, including one that sought to strip the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) of its powers to register and monitor political parties in Nigeria.

POLITICS NIGERIA learned that the controversial bill, which had reached its second reading, was co-sponsored by the Speaker of the House, Rep. Abbas Tajudeen, and Rep. Francis Waive. But during deliberations on the floor, Deputy Speaker Benjamin Kalu, who presided over the session, put the matter to a voice vote — and the opposition was loud enough to kill the proposal.

The rejected bill had aimed to overhaul a key responsibility of INEC, a move that critics argued could have far-reaching implications for electoral integrity and political accountability.

In the same sitting, another proposed amendment also met a dead end. This time, the bill originated from Deputy Speaker Benjamin Kalu himself. It sought to constitutionally mandate the rotation of the presidency and vice presidency among Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones — North Central, North East, North West, South East, South South, and South West. The goal, according to the sponsors, was to entrench fairness and national cohesion in leadership selection. However, the proposal failed to garner enough support on the floor.

Also rejected was Bill HB. 2288, sponsored by Rep. Julius Ihonvbere, which aimed to provide constitutional independence for the Offices of Auditors-General for Local Governments and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Area Councils. The bill’s proponents argued that the reform was essential to strengthen financial accountability and governance at the grassroots level, where issues of fiscal mismanagement remain prevalent.

Shortly after the flurry of rejections, a procedural issue surfaced when Deputy Minority Leader, Rep. Ali Jesse, raised a point of order.Quoting Order 9, Rule 6 of the House Standing Orders, he reminded the chamber that any attempt to revisit or reverse a previously voted decision must come by way of a formal motion filed with proper notice — a parliamentary safeguard intended to preserve legislative order and discipline.