The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, has urged for changes to Nigeria's 1999 constitution to include a role for traditional rulers, citing their strong connection to the grassroots.
Speaking in Abuja on Thursday during the second day of the 'Open Week' celebration marking the first anniversary of the 10th Assembly, Abbas emphasized the importance of integrating traditional leaders into the country's governance structure.
According to a report by Vanguard, Abbas highlighted that the House has set up two special Standing Committees to ensure that local governments gain constitutional autonomy and that traditional institutions receive formal recognition.
According to him, the 10th House, under his leadership, is committed to acknowledging the importance of traditional rulers during the constitution amendment process.
Despite previous efforts to grant them constitutional recognition, these attempts have not been successful.
He stressed that many members of the House believe that traditional institutions are essential to society.
He argued that formalizing a role for traditional rulers would improve the welfare of the people and enhance national security.
To achieve this, the House created two committees: the Committee on Traditional Institutions, which will work on providing legal recognition to traditional leaders, and the Committee on States and Local Governments.
Abbas pointed out that for the constitutional amendment to progress effectively, the involvement of state governments, State Houses of Assembly, Local Government Councils, and their councillors is crucial.