The House of Representatives has proposed far-reaching amendments to sections of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) to allow independent candidates to contest the presidential, governorship and National Assembly elections beginning in 2027.
The proposal followed the adoption of an amendment bill by the House Committee on Constitution Review, chaired by the Deputy Speaker, Dr. Benjamin Kalu.
Ahead of voting on the first batch of compiled bills, the committee recommended amendments to Sections 7, 65, 106, 107, 131, 177 and 228 of the Constitution.
The proposed legislation is titled “A Bill for an Act to Alter the Provisions of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999, to Provide for Independent Candidacy in Presidential, Governorship, National Assembly, State Houses of Assembly and Local Government Councils Elections and for Related Matters.”
A copy of the bill exclusively obtained by our correspondent showed that Section 7 is to be amended by inserting a new subsection (4A) after subsection (4).
Clause 2 of the bill provides that Section 7(4A) shall read: “In the case of an independent candidate, the person shall have obtained the verified signatures of at least 20 per cent of registered voters from each electoral ward in the respective local government council for a chairmanship candidate, and signatures of at least 20 per cent of registered voters from each polling unit in the respective electoral wards for a councillorship candidate.”
The amendment further stipulates that a registered voter shall not sign for more than one independent candidate seeking the same office, and that the signatures shall be verified by the State Independent Electoral Commission.
On qualifications for election, Section 65(2) of the Constitution is proposed to be amended by inserting, after the word “party,” the phrase “or the person is an independent candidate.”
A new paragraph (c) is also inserted to read: “In the case of an independent candidate, the person shall have obtained the verified signatures of at least 20 per cent of registered voters from each of the local government areas in the respective senatorial district or federal constituency, as the case may be.”
Similar provisions are replicated in Sections 131 and 177 of the Constitution, which outline the qualifications for election to the offices of President and Governor, respectively.
The bill also seeks to amend Section 228 of the Constitution, which empowers the National Assembly to make laws for the funding of political parties through the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
The proposed amendment introduces a new paragraph conferring additional regulatory powers on INEC.
Specifically, paragraph (c)(a) proposes the conferment on INEC of the power, through regulations, to prescribe the payment of administrative fees by independent candidates for respective elections, provided that INEC shall waive 50 per cent of such fees for women candidates. Voting on the bill is expected to commence after the Christmas and New Year holidays.
The push for independent candidacy has been a recurring demand in Nigeria’s constitutional and electoral reform debates for more than two decades. Civil society groups, constitutional lawyers and political reform advocates have consistently argued that the exclusive control of electoral participation by political parties restricts democratic choice and entrenches the dominance of a few powerful party structures.
Under the current constitutional framework, only candidates sponsored by registered political parties are eligible to contest elections, effectively shutting out individuals who may enjoy popular support but lack party backing.
Critics say this has fuelled godfatherism, the monetisation of party primaries and the imposition of candidates, while discouraging credible professionals and community leaders from participating in politics.
The issue featured prominently during the 2014 National Conference and in several reports of past constitution review exercises, though it failed to secure the required legislative approval. Proponents have also pointed to examples from other democracies, including African countries, where independent candidates are permitted at various levels of elections.
Supporters of the reform argue that allowing independent candidates would widen political participation, strengthen accountability and give voters more options at the polls. Opponents, however, have raised concerns about possible abuse of the process, ballot overcrowding and the administrative burden of verifying signatures.
The current proposal by the House of Representatives represents one of the most detailed attempts so far to constitutionally recognise independent candidacy, setting out specific thresholds, verification mechanisms and regulatory powers for electoral authorities ahead of the 2027 general elections.
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