THE COLLATED RESULTS OF THE PEOPLES’
PUBLIC SESSIONS ON THE REVIEW OF THE 1999
CONSTITUTION OF THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF
NIGERIA
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES PEOPLES’
PUBLIC SESSION – TOTAL VOTE COUNT
ITEM
1Should Section 8 of the
Constitution be amended to
remove the ambiguities in the
process for creation of more
States?
YES
NO
254
UNDECIDED
105
TOTAL
1
360
2* How many more States should be
created in Nigeria?
205
133
22
360
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES PEOPLES’
PUBLIC SESSION – TOTAL VOTE COUNT
 *Explanatory Note: Item 2 elicited multiple answers which need further
explanation
 Vote breakdown
 205 Federal Constituencies – voted ‘Yes’
 14 Federal Constituencies - voted for 1 state
5 Federal Constituencies - voted for 2 states
 32 Federal Constituencies - voted for 6 states
 7 Federal Constituencies - voted for 7 states
 22 Federal Constituencies - voted for 12 states
 3 Federal Constituencies - voted for 13 states
 13 Federal Constituencies - voted for 14 states
 1 Federal Constituency - vote for 16 states
 1 Federal Constituency - voted for 18 states
 107 Federal Constituencies - wholesomely voted ‘Yes’
 133 Federal Constituencies - voted ‘No’
 22 Federal Constituencies – undecided votes

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES PEOPLES’
PUBLIC SESSION – TOTAL VOTE COUNT
ITEM
YES
NO
3Should a State/States be created
in order to bring parity to the
number of states among the geopolitical zones?
120
4Should the 6 geo-political zones
be recognised in the Constitution
for administrative purposes
only?
134
UNDECIDED
181
TOTAL
59
360
212
14
360
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES PEOPLES’
PUBLIC SESSION – TOTAL VOTE COUNT
ITEM
5Should the 6 Geo-Political Zones
be included in the Constitution as
another tier of government?
YES
NO
27
UNDECIDED TOTAL
330
3
360
6Should indigeneship of an area be
defined to include persons who
have resided in an area for a
continuous long period, and
therefore entitled to accruing
rights, duties and privileges?
188
167
5
360
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES PEOPLES’
PUBLIC SESSION – TOTAL VOTE COUNT
ITEM
7Should the aspects of the
Constitution related to the
Fundamental Objectives and
Directive Principles of State Policy
in Chapter II which deal with
political, economic, social,
educational and cultural objectives
be made justiciable or enforceable
like the Fundamental Human
Rights in Chapter IV?
YES
NO
279
UNDECIDED TOTAL
78
3
360
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES PEOPLES’
PUBLIC SESSION – TOTAL VOTE COUNT
ITEM
8Should Sections 81 and 121(1) of
the Constitution be amended to
require the President/Governor of
a state to prepare and lay the
annual budget before the National
Assembly/State House of Assembly
at least 3 months before the end of
a financial year?
YES
342
NO
UNDECIDED
6
TOTAL
12
360
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES PEOPLES’
PUBLIC SESSION – TOTAL VOTE COUNT
ITEM
9Should State Houses of Assembly
be granted financial
autonomy/independenceas is the
case with the National Assembly?
YES
NO
324
UNDECIDED
26
TOTAL
10
360
10Should Section 162(6) be amended
to abolish ‘State Joint Local
Government Account’ so that
allocations due to the Local
Government Councils would be
paid to them directly?
295
62
3
360
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES PEOPLES’
PUBLIC SESSION – TOTAL VOTE COUNT
ITEM
YES
NO
11Should the Constitution be amended
so that the power to create local
government areas now rest
exclusively with the states, such that
states assume responsibility for the
funding of local governments?
78
12Should the Local Government
Councils be accorded the status of a
third tier of government properly so
called with its own Legislative List?
291
UNDECIDED
276
TOTAL
6
360
66
3
360
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES PEOPLES’
PUBLIC SESSION – TOTAL VOTE COUNT
ITEM
YES
NO
13Should the Constitution be
amended to deny revenue allocation
to unelected local government
councils?
277
14Should there be a defined tenure for
Local Government
Chairmen/Councillors in the
Constitution?
331
UNDECIDED
70
TOTAL
13
360
26
3
360
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES PEOPLES’
PUBLIC SESSION – TOTAL VOTE COUNT
ITEM
15* Should the Second Schedule, Part 1 be
amended so that some of the items,
including those listed below be moved
from the Exclusive Legislative List to the
Concurrent List –
(a) Fingerprints, identification and
criminal records;
(b) Insurance;
(c) Labour, etc;
(d) Prisons;
(e) Public holidays;
(f) Railways.
(g) Bankruptcy and Insolvency
(h) Registration of births and deaths
YES
NO
170
UNDECIDED
181
TOTAL
9
360
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES PEOPLES’
PUBLIC SESSION – TOTAL VOTE COUNT
 *Explanatory Note: Item 15 elicited multiple answers which need further
explanation
 Vote breakdown
 170 Federal Constituencies – voted ‘Yes’
 10 Federal Constituencies – voted for subsection (a) alone
 15 Federal Constituencies – voted for subsection (b) alone
11 Federal Constituencies – voted for subsection (c) alone
 10 Federal Constituencies – voted for subsection (d) alone
 12 Federal Constituencies – voted for subsection (e) alone
 15 Federal Constituencies – voted for subsection (f) alone
 6 Federal Constituencies – voted for subsection (g) alone
 34 Federal Constituencies – voted for subsection (h) alone
 57 Federal Constituencies – wholesomely voted ‘Yes’
 181 Federal Constituencies – voted ‘No’
 9 Federal Constituencies – undecided votes

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES PEOPLES’
PUBLIC SESSION – TOTAL VOTE COUNT
ITEM
YES
16Should Section 197(1) (b) be amended
to abolish the State Independent
Electoral Commission in order that all
elections are conducted by the
Independent National Electoral
Commission?
261
17* Should Section 315(5) (a) and (d) be
amended to remove the National Youth
Service Corps Act, the Land Use Act,
Public Complaints Commission Act,
National Security Agencies Act, from the
Constitution?
139
NO
UNDECIDED TOTAL
95
4
360
216
5
360
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES PEOPLES’
PUBLIC SESSION – TOTAL VOTE COUNT
 *Explanatory Note: Item 17 elicited multiple
answers which need further explanation
 Vote breakdown
 139 Federal Constituencies – voted ‘Yes’
 8 Federal Constituencies – voted for subsection (a) alone
 16 Federal Constituencies – voted for subsection (b) alone
 7 Federal Constituencies – voted for subsection (c) alone
 4 Federal Constituencies – voted for subsection (d) alone
 104 Federal Constituencies - wholesomely voted ‘Yes’
 216 Federal Constituencies – voted ‘No’
 5 Federal Constituencies – undecided votes
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES PEOPLES’
PUBLIC SESSION – TOTAL VOTE COUNT
ITEM
18Should Section 308 be amended to make
the immunity provision for the President,
Vice President, Governor or Deputy
Governor cover only civil proceedings
while in office?
19Should Section 214(1) be amended to
enable the establishment of a State
Police?
YES
NO
225
132
UNDECIDED TOTAL
3
360
53
307
0
360
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES PEOPLES’
PUBLIC SESSION – TOTAL VOTE COUNT
ITEM
20Should Nigeria have one police
organisation which shall be constituted
in such manner as to give State
Governors control over the
Commissioner of Police in their
respective states?
21Should Nigeria maintain the current
Police structure and system as in the
Constitution?
YES
NO
53
UNDECIDED TOTAL
237
70
360
292
62
6
360
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES PEOPLES’
PUBLIC SESSION – TOTAL VOTE COUNT
ITEM
22Should a provision be inserted in the
Constitution for the rotation of the Office
of President between the Northern and
Southern parts of Nigeria?
23Should a provision be inserted in the
Constitution to make the Office of
President rotate among the 6 GeoPolitical Zones of the country?
YES
NO
80
275
UNDECIDED TOTAL
5
360
147
210
3
360
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES PEOPLES’
PUBLIC SESSION – TOTAL VOTE COUNT
ITEM
YES
NO
24Should the Office of President or
Governor of a State be filled purely on
merit, instead of zoning?
224
25*Should Sections 135 and 180(2) be
amended to create a single tenure of (a) 5 years;
(b) 6 years;
(c) 7 years; for the Office of President
and Governor respectively?
110
UNDECIDED TOTAL
135
1
360
245
5
360
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES PEOPLES’
PUBLIC SESSION – TOTAL VOTE COUNT
 *Explanatory Note: Item 25 elicited multiple
answers which need further explanation
 Vote breakdown
 110 Federal Constituencies – voted ‘Yes’
29 Federal Constituencies – voted for subsection (a) alone
 27 Federal Constituencies – voted for subsection (b) alone
 1 Federal Constituency – voted for subsection (c)alone
 53 Federal Constituencies – wholesomely voted ‘Yes’
 245 Federal Constituencies - voted ‘No’
 5 Federal Constituencies – undecided votes

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES PEOPLES’
PUBLIC SESSION – TOTAL VOTE COUNT
ITEM
26Should the two-term tenure provision for
the Office of President or Office of
Governor be retained in the
Constitution?
YES
NO
263
UNDECIDED TOTAL
95
2
360
27Should a provision be inserted in the
Constitution to make the Office of
Governor of a State rotate among the
three Senatorial Districts in the State?
175
181
4
360
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES PEOPLES’
PUBLIC SESSION – TOTAL VOTE COUNT
ITEM
YES
NO
28Should the Constitution be amended
to allow for Independent Candidacy in
elections?
292
29Should the Constitution be further
amended to address gender issues,
including but not limited to reserving
certain percentage of elective offices
for women?
107
UNDECIDED TOTAL
66
2
360
251
2
360
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES PEOPLES’
PUBLIC SESSION – TOTAL VOTE COUNT
ITEM
30Should the Constitution be amended to
lower the qualifying age for contesting
various elective offices?
YES
NO
50
UNDECIDED TOTAL
306
4
360
31Should there be specific provision in
the Constitution to take care of the
interests of persons with disability?
311
46
3
360
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES PEOPLES’
PUBLIC SESSION – TOTAL VOTE COUNT
ITEM
32Should Section 77(2) be amended to give
Nigerians living outside the country (in
the Diaspora)voting rights?
YES
NO
46
UNDECIDED TOTAL
311
3
360
33Should the country abolish the existing bicameral legislature and allow for only one
chamber National Assembly?
47
307
6
360
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES PEOPLES’
PUBLIC SESSION – TOTAL VOTE COUNT
ITEM
34Should the Constitution be amended
to provide for a Parliamentary
instead of the present Presidential
System of Government?
35Should Nigeria implement the
practice of Federalism that allows
States to control up to 50% of their
resources and pay the remainder to
the Federation?
YES
NO
29
UNDECIDED TOTAL
326
5
360
123
236
5
360
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES PEOPLES’
PUBLIC SESSION – TOTAL VOTE COUNT
ITEM
YES
NO
36Should the derivation component of
Revenue allocation be increased to at
least 20%?
125
37Should a role be created for Traditional
Rulers in the Constitution, such as their
having representation in the National
Council of States at the national level
and roles in the States and local
governments?
202
UNDECIDED TOTAL
224
11
360
155
3
360
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES PEOPLES’
PUBLIC SESSION – TOTAL VOTE COUNT
ITEM
YES
38Should the Constitution be further
amended to address issues of electoral
reform, including the time for conducting
bye-elections, time limit for the
determination of election petitions, etc?
259
39Should the powers of the President or
Governor to modify or amend existing
laws under the transitional provisions of
S.315(2) and the definition section related
thereto be expunged, as such is currently
exercised by the National Assembly and
the State Houses of Assembly
respectively?
218
NO
UNDECIDED TOTAL
93
8
360
134
8
360
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES PEOPLES’
PUBLIC SESSION – TOTAL VOTE COUNT
ITEM
YES
NO
40Should the Constitutional provisions
on the judiciary be amended to
achieve reforms of judicial institutions
and processes in order to ensure
quicker dispensation of justice?
295
41Should the Constitution be amended
to separate the office of the
Accountant-General of the Federation
by the creation of the office of the
Accountant General of the States?
277
UNDECIDED TOTAL
16
49
360
27
56
360
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES PEOPLES’
PUBLIC SESSION – TOTAL VOTE COUNT
ITEM
YES
NO
42Should the Constitution be amended to
separate the office of the Attorney
General of the Federation from the
position of Minister of Justice of the
Federation?
282
43Should the Constitution be amended to
enable the Revenue Mobilisation
Allocation and Fiscal Commission send
Proposals for Revenue Allocation directly
to the National Assembly in order to avoid
undue delays in preparation of the
Revenue Allocation Formula?
257
UNDECIDED TOTAL
24
54
360
46
57
360