House of Assembly of Nigeria
The House of Assembly is the legislative branch of government that makes the laws for the state. The Assembly’s primary duties include enacting new legislation; amending or repealing current legislation; and overseeing the executive branch.
Recently, politics in Nigeria has begun to witness lots of transformation, with young people joining politics, especially at grassroot level. In Nigeria, to become a law maker, whether at state or national level, you must be a person of integrity, smart, bold, etc.
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How to Become a Member of the House of Assembly
Normally, there are requirements before one can become a member of the House of Assembly in Nigeria. If an individual meets all these requirements, then he or she may be able to clinch the seat of a house of assembly. Included below are some of the requirements.
- Become a registered voter
Registering to vote is the first step towards becoming a member of the House of Assembly.
- Be 30 years old
You need to be 30 years old to contest for the seat of the House of Assembly in Nigeria. If you are not yet 30, you may still pick up a form if you have been resident in Nigeria for at least 8 months before Election Day.
- Meet residency requirements
To be eligible to vote in any particular constituency, you must be either a permanent resident (i.e., reside in that constituency) or a temporary resident (i.e., reside in that constituency for at least 6 months).
What makes up the House of Assembly?
The state legislature in Nigeria is called the House of Assembly. All Houses of Assembly are unicameral, with members elected for four-year periods as members of the House of Assembly, assemblymen, or member house of assembly.
In Nigeria, the number of lawmakers differs based on the number of constituencies in the state. For example, the number of lawmakers in the Lagos state house of assembly is 40, while the number of lawmakers in the Enugu state house of assembly is 23.
What are the roles of the House of Assembly?
The House of Assembly has considerable oversight powers and is authorized to form committees of its members to investigate bills and government officials’ actions.
What is the highest position in the House of Representatives?
- The Speaker of the House
The Speaker of the House of Representatives in Nigeria is elected from among the members of the House of Representatives. He/she is the presiding officer of the House of Representatives and presides over the proceedings of the house.
The speaker is appointed by the president of Nigeria after consultation with the leaders of political parties represented in the house of representatives.
The speaker has no executive powers, but he/she can influence the work of the house through his/her position. He/She is elected for a term of four years.
- Minority Leader
The minority leader is another high-ranking member in the House. They are chosen by party leaders and they lead their caucus. Their primary responsibility includes working with the speaker to pass legislation.
What is the main business of the House of Assembly?
- To make laws.
Once the scope has been defined, the next step is to write the actual text of the law. This may involve drafting legislation, writing a bill, or some other method of creating a written document.
- To pass bills
- To debate issues
- To elect members of parliament
- To approve budgets
- To oversee the activities of government
What is the distinction between the Senate and the House of Representatives?
The National Assembly consists of members elected from each state in Nigeria. Members are elected for four-year terms. The Senate is comprised of senators who represent the 36 states in Nigeria. Senators serve four-year terms, same with the house of representative members.
Each house has its own rules for passing bills. These rules are called “procedures.” Each house has its own set of procedures. The House of Representatives has the power to change its own rules. The Senate cannot change its rules without first changing them.
The Senate (SEN) is the upper chamber of the national assembly. There are 109 senators representing the 36 states of Nigeria. Each senator serves four-year terms. The key positions in the senate include the following:
- Senate President
The senate president is the head of the senate. He/She presides over the sessions of the Senate and has the power to cast deciding votes on legislation.
In addition to presiding over the Senate, the President of the Senate is elected from among the Senators who are members of the Senate.
- Deputy senate president
The deputy senate president deputizes the senate president if he or she is out of town. Just like the senate president, the deputy senate is selected by the members.
- The Chief Whip
The Chief Whip is the leader of the majority party in the Nigerian National Assembly. He/she is responsible for ensuring that his/her members are present at the plenary session of the house.
This person has the power to suspend any member who fails to attend the session. The Chief Whip is also responsible for ensuring that the house’s agenda is adhered to.
The House of Representatives (HOR) is the lower chamber of the national assembly that represents the federal republic of Nigeria.
The House of Representatives has 360 members who represent their constituents in the House of Representatives. Each state gets at least two representatives and also serves a four-term
Conclusion
The House of Assembly is the legislative arm of government in Nigeria. They enact and amend laws at the state level.
The House of Assembly is composed of members elected from each local government areas of the state through general elections. Members serve four-year terms. The House of Assembly can pass laws and approve budgets.
At the national level, the Federal Republic of Nigeria’s Constitution establishes a National Assembly for the country, which consists of a senate and a House of Representatives.
Three senators from each Nigerian state and one senator from the Federal Capital Territory of Abuja, make up the Senate. The Federal House of Representatives must have a total of 360 members representing different districts.
