36 States’ Houses Of Assembly Adopt Harmonized Standing Orders For Uniform Legislative Practices

In a move to tackle discrepancies in legislative processes such as suspension, impeachment of members, and other key parliamentary functions, the 36 States’ Houses of Assembly have adopted and ratified the use of harmonised standing orders.

The new rules aim to standardise legislative operations across all states, ensuring consistency in issues like suspension and impeachment procedures, removal of presiding officers, budgetary processes, and confirmation of executive appointments.

The harmonised standing orders also address other critical legislative functions such as the election of presiding officers, adoption of legislative reports, ratification of constitutional alterations and treaties, the establishment of special committees, and the conduct of executive sessions.

The adoption of these harmonised rules took place during a workshop held in Lagos on Thursday, organised by the Konrad Adenauer Stiftung in collaboration with the National Institute for Legislative and Democratic Studies.

The workshop brought together members of the Conference of Speakers of State Legislatures of Nigeria.

In his remarks, the Chairman of the Conference of Speakers and Speaker of the Oyo State House of Assembly, Adebo Ogundoyin, highlighted that the adoption of harmonised standing orders places Nigeria in league with countries like the United States, South Africa, and Rwanda, which have centralised legislative frameworks.

Ogundoyin expressed confidence that within the next three months, the harmonised rules would be adopted by the various Houses of Assembly across the country.

“This monumental step forward, which began in 2021, is not just a procedural reform; it is a strategic step towards strengthening the efficiency, transparency, and uniformity of legislative operations across all states’ Houses of Assembly,” Ogundoyin said.

He added, “By standardising our legislative rules, we are enhancing collaboration, improving legislative oversight, and ultimately ensuring a more responsive and accountable governance framework at the sub-national level.”

Ogundoyin acknowledged the support and inspiration Nigeria drew from international partners, including the German Government and the United States, which have centralised standing orders for their states.

He also pointed to South Africa and Rwanda as examples of African nations that have adopted similar frameworks.

“Nigeria is set to join the list of countries with harmonised legislative frameworks, further solidifying our commitment to democratic governance and institutional strengthening,” he noted.

Benefits Of Harmonised Standing Orders

The Resident Representative of the Konrad Adenauer Stiftung Nigeria, Marija Peran, set the tone for the event by explaining that the harmonisation of assembly rules aims to create a standardised approach that fosters collaboration, reduces procedural discrepancies, and enhances the overall effectiveness of legislative bodies.

Reflecting on issues in the Lagos and Rivers States’ Houses of Assembly, Peran pointed out that harmonised standing orders would ensure consistency, transparency, and efficiency in legislative processes.

“We are only two and a half months into 2025 and some states’ Houses of Assembly have already been shaken up massively. This shows us that we cannot take either stability or democratic processes for granted,” Peran remarked.

She emphasized the importance of uniform standing orders, saying, “These orders serve as the backbone of legislative procedures, ensuring consistency, transparency, and efficiency in the legislative processes.”

The Director-General of the National Institute for Legislative and Democratic Studies, Prof. Abubakar Sulaiman, discussed the vulnerability of legislatures due to executive interference. He stressed that the standardisation of standing orders would ensure procedural clarity, uniformity in legislative conduct, and protection of legislative autonomy.

“By doing so, we can build a resilient legislative system where state assemblies operate effectively, free from external disruptions,” Sulaiman said.

He also reflected on past incidents in Rivers, Lagos, and other states, noting that a harmonised framework for legislative rules would help promote consistency in parliamentary practices and safeguard legislative independence from undue executive and judicial interference.