The Bill to provide for Independent Candidacy in the Nigeria political
system was on the floor of the Senate was on Wednesday re- introduced by
the Lawmaker representing Anambra North Senatorial District, Senator
Stella Oduah.
The Bill titled: 1999 constitution of Nigeria (Alteration) Bill 2016 (SB.
228) in the tradition of the senate was introduced and read for the first
time by the Senate Leader Senator Ali Ndume and the Clerk of the Senate
This Bill seeks to amend sections 131 (c) 177 (c) 62 (2) & 106 (d) of 1999
Nigeria Constitution as amended which stipulates that candidates for
elections must be sponsored by political parties.
On the 19th February 2016, Oduah took to her twitter handle to declare her
intentions to sponsor a bill that will ensure the provision for
independent candidacy in Nigeria and called on her colleagues at the
Nigeria Senate to support the bill when it is presented on the floor of
the Senate Chamber.
According to her “the impact of this cannot be overemphasized as it will
create room for independence of candidates in Nigeria electoral system and
give more well meaning citizens opportunity to participate in governance.”
She pledged to do all within her reach as a lawmaker with support from her
colleagues and the 8th senate leadership to ensure that this opportunity
is secured for Nigerians.
“I will do all within my power, with the support of my colleagues of the
Nigeria Senate to ensure that this democratic freedom is secured for
Nigerians.” She stated
We recall that the 7th National Assembly had debated and supported the
independent candidate clause and made an alteration; by inserting a new
paragraph (d), which reads, “He is a member of a political party and is
sponsored by that party or he is an independent candidate” in the fourth
amendment to the 1999, however it failed to scale through before the end
of the last assembly.