Senate advances bill to give traditional rulers constitutional roles

The Nigerian Senate has approved the second reading of a bill seeking to establish the National Council for Traditional Rulers, aiming to formally integrate monarchs and community leaders into the country’s governance structure.

The bill, introduced by Senator Simon Lalong of Plateau South, stirred debate among lawmakers, with some expressing concerns about potential overlaps between the roles of traditional rulers and local government officials.

However, Lalong, a former governor of Plateau State, emphasized the valuable contributions traditional leaders could make, particularly in tackling insecurity and advising on national issues.

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“When there are crises and killings, the first thing people say is ‘let’s hold the traditional ruler responsible.’ It is true in their communities, they know everybody, including the criminals. But we expect them to be the ones running up and down,” he said.

He added, “We need to charge them with responsibilities where they will be committed. But for now, you can’t hold them responsible. As the director-general of the campaign for Asiwaju and Kashim, we went around having some meetings with these traditional rulers.”

According to Lalong, traditional rulers have long requested official recognition and roles in governance, which aligns with campaign promises made during the election season.

“Every time we want them to participate, they ask to be given a role. So, it was also part of our (electioneering) campaign. So, I don’t see how we can jettison that when we are struggling for a constitutional amendment with respect to security. If we don’t have security, every other thing we are doing is rubbish,” he noted.

Despite Lalong’s assurances, some senators called for a clearer delineation of duties to prevent potential clashes between traditional authorities and elected officials.

Senate President Godswill Akpabio highlighted the need to define the functions of traditional rulers precisely within the proposed law and suggested a public hearing to gather input before moving the bill forward.

The bill was subsequently referred to the Senate Committee on Establishment, which is expected to present its findings within four weeks.