SHOCKER! Tinubu Receives URGENT Message To Start Sacking This Set Of People From His Cabinet Immediately; SEE WHY
The House of Representatives Committee on Constitutional Review is currently assessing a significant proposal to amend the 1999 Constitution, which seeks to limit the number of ministers that the president can appoint to 37. This initiative, known as ” A Bill for an Act to Amend the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 to Streamline the Number of Ministers to be Appointed to the Federal Executive Council, ” is being deliberated under the leadership of Deputy Speaker Benjamin Kalu sponsored by representatives from the Darazo/Ganjuwa and Kaga/Gubio/Magumeri Federal Constituencies of Bauchi and Borno states.
The bill aims to revise Section 147 (1) of the Constitution. The proposed amendment stipulates, ” There shall be such offices of Ministers of the Government of the Federation, not exceeding 37, as may be established by the President. ” Currently, under President Bola Tinubu, the Federal Executive Council is composed of 45 ministers, including both substantive ministers and Ministers of State.
The president appoints a minister from each of the 36 states of the federation while also permitting additional appointments based on various factors in cabinet formation. This proposal to streamline the ministerial appointments reflects ongoing discussions about governance efficiency and resource management within the Nigerian government.
” The bill seeks to alter the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999, to specify the maximum number of ministers to be appointed to the Federal Executive Council to address duplication of duties, minimize the cost of governance, and enhance efficiency to service at the federal level, ” the Bauchi lawmaker, Mansur Soro said during an interview with The PUNCH.
A lawmaker from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) voiced strong objections to the idea that the president has the discretion to appoint more than two ministers from a single state to include technocrats. This lawmaker pointed out that the president has access to numerous other key government agencies and ministerial parastatals, which can serve as avenues for incorporating technocrats or politicians without disproportionately representing any one state.
Currently, Ogun State is notably represented by four ministers, while many other states have only one minister each, raising concerns about the fairness of this distribution. The lawmaker questioned the equity of such an arrangement, emphasizing the need for a more balanced approach to ministerial appointments. In a related development, the committee led by Deputy Speaker Benjamin Kalu is also considering a proposed bill aimed at amending Section 62 of the Constitution. This amendment seeks to ensure strict adherence to the federal character principle in the selection of principal officers within the National Assembly, further underscoring efforts to promote fairness and inclusivity in governance.
