The House of Representatives has dismissed reports circulating online claiming that an executive bill seeking to rename Nigeria as the “United States of Nigeria” is currently before the National Assembly.

Over the past week, social media platforms have been awash with claims that President Bola Tinubu forwarded a proposal to lawmakers to change the country’s name and abolish Shariah criminal law in the northern part of the country. The House, however, has described the reports as false and misleading.

Speaking with journalists during the presentation of the first batch of prioritised constitutional amendment bills, the House spokesperson and member of the Constitutional Review Committee, Akin Rotimi, categorically denied the existence of such legislation.

“I can confirm that there is no such executive bill before the House. None whatsoever. And that is all I will say on that,” the Ekiti lawmaker stated.

Rotimi clarified that the only matters currently before the National Assembly are harmonised constitutional alteration bills jointly prepared by the House of Representatives and 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 explained.

He also addressed speculations surrounding a recent meeting between First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, and lawmakers at the Presidential Villa, stressing that the engagement had nothing to do with any proposal to rename the country.

“I was present at that event. The First Lady spoke extensively on the Reserved Seats for Women Bill, which she is passionate about as a former lawmaker. The Vice President, members of the Federal Executive Council, and other stakeholders were in attendance to discuss that specific bill. At no point was the issue of changing Nigeria’s name mentioned,” Rotimi said.

The House spokesperson further revealed that the Constitutional Review Committee initially received more than 350 amendment proposals, which were subsequently streamlined for effectiveness.

“We started with over 350 bills. These were reduced at various stages to about 80, then around 60, and now we have just over 40 proposals advancing to the next phase,” he added.

For Advert, Event Coverage/Press Conference Invite, Story/Article Publication & Other Media Services
Contact Us On WhatsApp
Send Email To: citizennewsng@gmail.com
Visit Citizen NewsNG To Read More Latest and Interesting News Across Nigeria and the World