On Thursday, October 24, the House of Representatives rejected a bill aimed at expanding the application of Islamic law within the 1999 constitution.
The bill, sponsored by Aliyu Missau, proposed amendments to Sections 24, 262, 277, and 288 by removing the term “personal” wherever “Islamic law” is mentioned. Specifically, Section 262 (1) states: “The Sharia Court of Appeal shall, in addition to such other jurisdiction as may be conferred upon it by an Act of the National Assembly, exercise such appellate and supervisory jurisdiction in civil proceedings involving questions of Islamic personal law.”
Missau contended that the inclusion of the term “personal” limits the application of Islamic law, particularly regarding Islamic commercial law. He argued that the 1999 constitution did not anticipate the evolution and growth that the country would experience, citing the establishment of Jaiz Bank in 2003 as an example of Islamic commercial law that the original constitution did not foresee.
The lawmaker suggested that the removal of the term "personal" would facilitate the development of Islamic commercial law and Islamic international law, among others.
Support for the bill emerged from some northern legislators, while their southern counterparts expressed concerns that the proposal represented an attempt to extend the influence of Sharia law. Solomon Bob from Rivers opposed the bill, asserting that its passage would broaden the scope of Islamic law beyond the "personal matters" originally considered by the framers of the Constitution. He emphasized that the term "personal" was intentionally included for a specific purpose.
In contrast, AbdulHakeem Abdul Hakeemno expressed support for the bill, arguing that Islamic commercial law requires ongoing validation. Other lawmakers, such as Saidu Abdullahi from Niger State and Ahmed Satomi from Borno, similarly backed the proposed legislation.
Conversely, Jonathan Gaza from Nasarawa, Ademorin Kuye from Lagos, and Awaji-Inombek Abiante from Rivers opposed the bill. Ultimately, the bill was rejected following a voice vote presided over by Deputy Speaker Ben Kalu.