A LEGISLATIVE earthquake may soon rock Nigeria’s political landscape, as the National Assembly considers sweeping amendments to the 1999 Constitution reforms that could effectively end the careers of several long-serving lawmakers, including Senate President Godswill Akpabio and his predecessor, Ahmad Lawan.
News Point Nigeria reports that among the most notable proposals is a rotational representation bill, which would introduce term-limiting reforms by mandating the rotation of legislative seats across all federal constituencies within each senatorial district.
The bill also proposes a rotational presidency across Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones, an idea long debated in national discourse but never codified.
At the heart of the proposed reform is a bid to dismantle what has been widely described as “legislative landlording”, the domination of parliamentary seats by a handful of constituencies and individuals for decades.
According to the bill, which seeks to amend Section 48 of the constitution:
“Every Federal Constituency in a Senatorial District which has produced a Senator shall not be eligible to produce a Senator, unless and until all other Federal Constituencies produce a Senator.”
If passed, this clause could bar any constituency that has already produced a senator from fielding another candidate until all others in the senatorial district have had a turn, effectively enforcing equity in representation.
This provision could disqualify long-serving figures from contesting again once their constituencies have had their turn, shaking up the current power dynamics in the National Assembly.
Several prominent lawmakers could be directly impacted by the bill:
Godswill Akpabio, current Senate President, who is serving his second term in the Senate after holding executive offices in Akwa Ibom and the federal cabinet.
Ahmad Lawan, former Senate President, has been in the National Assembly since 1999, starting in the House of Representatives before moving to the Senate in 2007.
Alhassan Ado Doguwa, a House heavyweight, began his legislative career during the aborted Third Republic and returned to the House in 2007.
Mohammed Tahir Monguno, now Senate Whip, served multiple House terms before joining the Senate in the 10th Assembly.
Enyinnaya Abaribe (Abia South), Mukhtar Betara (Borno), Nicholas Mutu (Delta), and Orji Uzor Kalu (Abia North) and Senator Ali Ndume are all seen as long-term political fixtures.
The proposal, if implemented, could significantly alter the makeup of the National Assembly, reducing entrenched incumbency and offering fresh opportunities to less politically connected regions.
In a related move, the Senate is also weighing a new provision to amend Section 133 of the constitution, which would institutionalise a rotational presidency among the six geopolitical zones: North-West, North-East, North-Central, South-West, South-East, and South-South.
This clause, long demanded by advocates of national inclusion, would formally mandate the alternation of the presidency to reduce regional dominance and foster a sense of equity.
A Professor of Political Science from ABU Zaria told News Point Nigeria that this is a major step toward addressing Nigeria’s historical imbalances in leadership distribution, especially in light of the recent calls for a Southeast presidency.
The proposals are already generating intense debate across political circles, with reformists praising them as a bold step toward equity, inclusion, and decentralised power, while some insiders view them as a targeted move to weaken political heavyweights ahead of the 2027 elections.
The Professor argued that while the intent may be noble, rotation alone does not guarantee competence, development, or integrity.
He warned that the reforms could trigger internal rifts within parties, particularly in regions where dominant figures have held sway for decades.
“There are also legal and implementation questions, especially about the retrospective application of rotation clauses and how they would affect already-elected officials”, the Professor added.
The bill is currently at the committee stage, and public hearings are expected to follow.
If passed by both chambers and approved by two-thirds of Nigeria’s state assemblies as required for constitutional amendments, it could become one of the most consequential political reforms in the country’s recent history.