By Gift ChapiOdekina, Abuja<\/p>\n
The House of Representatives on Thursday passed for second reading a bill seeking to return Nigeria to a parliamentary system of government.<\/p>\n
The bill is among 31 constitutional amendment bills that scaled second reading during plenary, presided over by Deputy Speaker Benjamin Okezie Kalu.<\/p>\n
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Meanwhile, the House is also considering an amendment to confer citizenship on foreigners married to Nigerian women.<\/p>\n
The bill, sponsored by Akin Alabi (APC, Egbeda\/Ona Ara, Oyo State), passed a second reading on Thursday.<\/p>\n
The proposed amendment seeks to alter Section 26 of the 1999 Constitution, which governs citizenship by registration.<\/p>\n
Currently, Section 26(1) allows a person to be registered as a Nigerian citizen if the President is satisfied that they: Are of good character, Have demonstrated clear intent to reside in Nigeria, and Have taken the oath of allegiance.<\/p>\n
However, Section 26(2)(a) restricts this provision to women married to Nigerian men, effectively excluding foreign men married to Nigerian women from acquiring citizenship through marriage.<\/p>\n
The new bill seeks to address this gender imbalance, ensuring equal rights for Nigerian women in conferring citizenship to their foreign spouses.<\/p>\n