10th NASS PROPOSES 3-TIER TRADITIONAL INSTITUTION STRUCTURE— SPEAKER
By: Safiya Abdulrahim Dabban
The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Dr. Abbas Tajudeen, has announced that the 10th National Assembly is considering a constitutional amendment to formally recognize traditional institutions under a proposed three-tier structure.
Speaking during an interactive session with traditional rulers in Abuja as part of the 2025 Open NASS Week, Dr. Tajudeen said the move aims to integrate traditional leadership into the national governance framework at the federal, state, and local levels. He emphasized that traditional rulers would play advisory roles in areas such as national unity, security, peacebuilding, and cultural preservation.
The Speaker noted that the proposal draws from the unimplemented Section 8 of the 1989 draft constitution, which provided for local government traditional councils. He also stressed the need for financial autonomy and legal protection for traditional rulers to shield them from political intimidation, especially during election periods.
Responding to concerns raised by the Emir of Zazzau, Ambassador Ahmed Nuhu Bamalli, Dr. Tajudeen assured that the National Assembly is committed to restoring the historical and administrative roles of traditional institutions. The Emir had earlier called for the reinstatement of the traditional system’s key roles in community development, crime prevention, and cultural leadership—functions he said have suffered since the removal of traditional institutions from post-1963 constitutional frameworks.