The House of Representatives has dismissed some online reports that an executive bill seeking to rename Nigeria as the “United States of Nigeria” is currently before the National Assembly for consideration.
Over the past week, social media platforms have been awash with claims that President Bola Tinubu had sent a proposal to lawmakers to alter the country’s name and abolish Shariah criminal law in the northern region. The House firmly stated that no such legislation exists.
Speaking to journalists during the presentation of the first batch of prioritised constitutional amendment bills, House spokesperson and member of the Constitutional Review Committee, Akin Rotimi, categorically refuted the reports.
The Ekiti lawmaker said, “I can confirm that there is no such executive bill before the House. None whatsoever. And that is all I will say on that,” he stated.
Instead, the Ekiti lawmaker noted that what is currently before the parliament is a set of harmonised constitutional alteration proposals jointly prepared with the Senate.
“There are 44 bills that have been jointly harmonised by both chambers. Because we operate a bicameral legislature, we have been working closely with our counterparts in the Senate, led by Senator Jibrin Barau, to ensure alignment,” he said.
