The House of Representatives has voted against a proposal aimed at modifying the 1999 constitution to establish a rotation system for the offices of the president and vice president among the six geopolitical zones of Nigeria.
The proposal, introduced by Deputy Speaker Benjamin Okezie Kalu, was titled: ‘A Bill for an Act to Alter the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Cap. C23, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004 to Provide for the Principle of Rotation of the Offices of the President and the Vice President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria among the Six Geopolitical Zones of the Country, Namely: North Central, North East, North West, South East, South South, and South West and for Related Matters (HB. 2291).’
This bill was one of seven constitutional amendment proposals scheduled for a second reading on the House Order Paper for Tuesday, May 13, 2025.
Following the reading of the titles of these bills by the House Leader, the Deputy Speaker, who was presiding over the session, invited lawmakers to share their views on the proposals.
During the discussion, Rep Aliyu Madaki (NNPP, Kano) expressed his opposition to the bill, asserting that the existing constitutional principle of federal character sufficiently covered the concerns it aimed to address.
He contended that the decision regarding the zoning of the presidency should be left to individual political parties, arguing against the necessity of embedding such a provision in the constitution.
Conversely, Rep Ali Isah (PDP, Gombe) disagreed with Madaki’s stance, advocating that incorporating rotational presidency into the constitution would promote fairness and inclusivity for all geopolitical zones.
Meanwhile, Rep Sada Soli (APC, Katsina) also opposed the bill, stating that the proposed legislation would be detrimental to national unity and could result in the prioritisation of mediocrity over competence in leadership.
“It could play up regional and ethnic interests over competency. It will encourage limited choice of people that can vie for office and it will encourage regional rivalry which negates the spirit of unity,” Soli said.
In response to Soli’s stance, Kalu rejected the notion of promoting mediocrity, asserting that every geopolitical zone in the nation possesses qualified individuals capable of holding the offices of president and vice president.
He emphasised that the bill’s purpose is to guarantee that all regions of the country can participate in governance and national development. Rep Shina Oyedeji expressed his opposition to the bill, arguing that the core of democracy lies in healthy competition.
He contended that incorporating zoning and regional sentiments undermines democratic values, stating, ‘Everyone should have the opportunity to run for election whenever possible.’
Rep Bello El-Rufai (APC, Kaduna) also opposed the bill, warning that institutionalising the principle of rotational presidency in the constitution could incite regional and ethnic tensions due to the country’s diverse ethnic landscape.
Following intense discussions regarding the bill, the Deputy Speaker called for a voice vote, resulting in most lawmakers expressing their opposition with ‘nays.’ The Deputy Speaker subsequently ruled in favour of the nays.