In a historic move to streamline legislative procedures across Nigeria, the 36 state Houses of Assembly have ratified and adopted a harmonized set of standing orders aimed at standardizing disciplinary actions, impeachment processes, and other legislative operations.
The new rules, which will be implemented across all state legislatures, will govern the suspension and impeachment of members, the removal of presiding officers, budgetary processes, appointment confirmations, and legislative reporting. They will also regulate the election of presiding officers, the establishment of special committees, and executive sessions.
The adoption took place on Thursday at a conference in Lagos, organized by the Konrad Adenauer Stiftung in collaboration with the National Institute for Legislative and Democratic Studies. The event brought together the Conference of Speakers of State Legislatures of Nigeria, where the decision was formalized.
Chairman of the Conference of Speakers and Speaker of the Oyo State House of Assembly, Adebo Ogundoyin, described the move as a strategic step toward enhancing legislative efficiency, transparency, and accountability. He noted that the harmonization aligns Nigeria with countries such as the United States, South Africa, and Rwanda, which have standardized legislative frameworks.
“This monumental step forward, which began in 2021, is not just a procedural reform; it is a strategic step towards strengthening the efficiency, transparency, and uniformity of legislative operations across all state Houses of Assembly,” Ogundoyin stated. He expressed optimism that within three months, all states would fully adopt the new rules.
Resident Representative of Konrad Adenauer Stiftung Nigeria, Marija Peran, highlighted that the initiative would enhance legislative collaboration and reduce inconsistencies, citing recent political instability in Lagos and Rivers state assemblies as examples of why such reforms are necessary.
The Director-General of the National Institute for Legislative and Democratic Studies, Prof. Abubakar Sulaiman, emphasized that the standardization of standing orders would protect legislative independence from executive interference and ensure procedural clarity across the states.
Work on the harmonized framework began in 2016 before Thursday’s official ratification, marking a significant milestone in Nigeria’s legislative development.
