The Resource Centre for Human Rights and Civic Education (CHRICED) has raised the alarm over the widening rift between Nigeria’s two legislative chambers, warning that the face-off between the Senate and House of Representatives could cripple lawmaking and deepen citizens’ distrust in democratic governance.
By Chimezie Godfrey
The Resource Centre for Human Rights and Civic Education (CHRICED) has raised the alarm over the widening rift between Nigeria’s two legislative chambers, warning that the face-off between the Senate and House of Representatives could cripple lawmaking and deepen citizens’ distrust in democratic governance.
In a strongly worded statement signed by its Executive Director, Dr. Ibrahim M. Zikirullahi, CHRICED described the standoff—sparked by the House’s decision to suspend consideration of all Senate-sponsored bills—as a “grave dereliction of legislative responsibility” at a time when Nigeria faces pressing socio-economic challenges.
The House of Representatives had, on Wednesday, July 2, 2025, unanimously adopted a motion to freeze deliberations on Senate bills, citing the Senate’s failure to reciprocate action on 146 bills passed by the lower chamber.
“This institutional standoff, if left unresolved, threatens to paralyse Nigeria’s legislative process and erode public confidence in democratic governance,” the rights group warned.
CHRICED expressed deep concern that while the National Assembly often fast-tracks executive-sponsored bills—many times without rigorous scrutiny—it consistently sidelines crucial bills sponsored by citizens and civil society groups. Among the neglected bills it cited are the Employee Remuneration Protection and Unpaid Wages Bill, the Gender Representation Bill, the Whistleblower Protection Bill, and the Sexual Harassment in Tertiary Institutions Prohibition Bill.
“Many of these have languished for years without meaningful progress,” the group lamented.
By contrast, CHRICED noted that the Senate passed 26 executive bills during the 2024–2025 legislative session, while the House processed 12, with 9 becoming law. These included the controversial tax reform bill, which sailed through both chambers with unusual speed.
Equally disturbing to the organisation is the lawmakers’ bipartisan consensus on embedding constituency projects into the national budget, a practice CHRICED described as “unconstitutional and self-serving.”
“Despite their inability to collaborate on critical national issues, lawmakers continue to enjoy exorbitant salaries and allowances, with no measurable benchmarks for performance or accountability,” the statement said.
In response to these dysfunctions, CHRICED renewed its call for Nigeria to adopt a unicameral legislature, arguing that the current 469-member bicameral structure is bloated, wasteful, and counterproductive.
“A single-chamber legislature would eliminate inter-chamber conflicts, streamline the legislative process, reduce the cost of governance, enhance transparency and accountability, and foster unity in lawmaking,” Dr. Zikirullahi stated.
Citing global examples, the organisation noted that 111 of the 190 UN-recognised countries—including Finland, Ghana, Taiwan, Tunisia, and Zambia—successfully operate unicameral legislatures.
As Nigeria prepares for the July 2025 National Constitution Summit, CHRICED urged civil society, the media, professional associations, traditional and religious leaders, and citizens to push for the unicameral option as a key constitutional reform.
The group also called on Senate President Godswill Akpabio and House Speaker Tajudeen Abbas to immediately de-escalate the standoff and prioritise the passage of long-stalled, people-centred legislation.