-Lawmakers Dismiss Viral Social Media Claims as False
The House of Representatives has firmly denied viral social media reports suggesting that an executive bill seeking to rename Nigeria as the “United States of Nigeria” is currently before the National Assembly.
For days, online platforms have been flooded with claims that President Bola Tinubu submitted a proposal to lawmakers to change the country’s name and abolish Shariah criminal law in northern Nigeria. But on Thursday, the House dismissed the claims as baseless and misleading.
Addressing journalists during the presentation of prioritised constitutional amendment bills, House spokesperson and member of the Constitutional Review Committee, Akin Rotimi, stated categorically that no such legislation exists.
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“I can confirm that there is no such executive bill before the House. None whatsoever,” Rotimi declared.
He clarified that what is currently before parliament is a package of 44 harmonised constitutional alteration proposals, jointly prepared with the Senate under the leadership of Deputy Senate President Jibrin Barau, as part of the ongoing nationwide constitutional review.
Rotimi also debunked speculation linking a recent meeting between First Lady Oluremi Tinubu and lawmakers at the Presidential Villa to the alleged name-change proposal. He emphasised that the discussion focused solely on the Reserved Seats for Women Bill, which the First Lady has continued to advocate.
“Nothing about changing the country’s name was mentioned,” he stressed.
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The lawmaker further revealed that the Constitutional Review Committee initially received more than 350 amendment proposals, which were critically reviewed and streamlined to just over 40 bills to ensure clarity, efficiency and legislative focus.
The House urged Nigerians to disregard the false reports and rely on verified information as the constitutional amendment process progresses.