₦airaland Forum

@Benjamin Okezie Kalu

Press Release From the Office of the Deputy Speaker, House of Representatives

July 29, 2025

Deputy Speaker, Kalu Withdraws Indigeneship Bill For Further Legislative Engagements

Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Benjamin Okezie Kalu, CFR has withdrawn the indigeneship bill before the parliament for further legislative engagements.

In a statement on Tuesday night, Kalu said that the withdrawal has become necessary in the light of the concerns and constructive feedback received from various stakeholders regarding the bill.

He added that the Bill Analysis Report, forwarded by the National Institute for Legislative and Democratic Studies (NILDS) also made it imperative for him to step down the bill at this time.

Although the intention of the bill was to promote national unity, equity, and inclusiveness among all Nigerians, regardless of where they reside, part of the report stated that the State Houses of Assembly should make laws that will make settlers in different states enjoy the same rights and privileges by the indigenes.

"States should make laws that would allow settlers to benefit same rights and privileges enjoyed by indigenes without any form of discrimination as rightly provided for in the constitution.

"Though the Bill seeks to achieve some commendable objectives, however, this can be achieved through enactment of law. If this Bill is passed, it would pose challenges with time especially on the issue of double or multiple indigenship," the report stated.

Kalu who is the also chairman of the Constitution Review Committee of the House said that he is committed to ensuring that every legislative proposal reflects the wishes of the people.

"As leaders and Representatives, we remain committed to ensuring that every legislative proposal reflects the aspirations of the people we serve.

"The Constitution Review process remains an open, inclusive, and participatory exercise, and no provision or proposal will be pursued without adequate dialogue and consensus-building.

"I therefore call on citizens to continue engaging constructively with the House Committee on Constitutional Review as we work together to build a more just, united, and prosperous Nigeria", he said.

Signed:

Levinus Nwabughiogu, Chief Press Secretary to the Deputy Speaker, House of Representatives, Federal Republic of Nigeria

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/16fSGobp44/

If Kalu put pressure on SE governors to perform, he won’t need to be sponsoring eleya bills. So after removing indegeneship laws and even peaceful regions become unstable. Where will you keep running to Kalu? We will now all run to Togo, Ghana and Benin Republic to now start demanding the same things that destroyed our country in their own country? You better sit down and hold your Governors to account, so you don’t have to be running all over the country in ridicule and trying to change laws to help hide your shame.

Ronuu people, una do this one well.

We say no to indigenous bill. Simple as APC.

LegendHero:
Ronuu people, una do this one well.

We say no to indigenous bill. Simple as APC.

God Bless Federal Republic of Nigeria

Say a loud Amen

blamingthedevil:
God Bless Federal Republic of Nigeria

Say a loud Amen

Amen my brother.

They werey don fold. Ronu people pressed his neck till he dropped the nonsense bill 🤣🤣🤣

seunmsg:
They werey don fold. Ronu people pressed his neck till he dropped the nonsense bill 🤣🤣🤣

Do you now realize the mortar shell we dodged by Obi's defeat, Kadoso? They would have used political power to try and grab the SW from us. We avoided another civil war.

COWARD!

He for no drop the bill na?

I think the guy has harmed his political prospects at the national level.

As deputy speaker, he has achieved considerable success and would have been in a leading position to vie for a higher office in the future.

However, the stubbornness with which he pushed the highly unpopular indigenisation bill has and will continue to put him under the spotlight for some time to come.

He is unlikely to be trusted for a higher office at the national level. At least not until his indigenisation misadventure is forgotten by people.

Hon. Benjamin Kaku wanted to play a fast one on us because he’s the chairman of the reviewing committee but RONU people said no.

Decades ago one his brother wanted our kings too to be having transfer just like EPL players but our fathers said no to transfer of our royal fathers, let everyone lord after his father land.

Good move by Deputy Speaker Kalu! Listening to the people and taking feedback seriously on the Indigeneship Bill shows real leadership. Let's hope this leads to a more inclusive and practical approach for all Nigerians. #NationalUnity"

2mch:
If Kalu put pressure on SE governors to perform, he won’t need to be sponsoring eleya bills. So after removing indegeneship laws and even peaceful regions become unstable. Where will you keep running to Kalu? We will now all run to Togo, Ghana and Benin Republic to now start demanding the same things that destroyed our country in their own country? You better sit down and hold your Governors to account, so you don’t have to be running all over the country in ridicule and trying to change laws to help hide your shame.

A real eleya bill

seunmsg:
They werey don fold. Ronu people pressed his neck till he dropped the nonsense bill 🤣🤣🤣

We showed him shege on Twitter and offline.

Minority tribes also called him out severally.

Bsssss:
Good move by Deputy Speaker Kalu! Listening to the people and taking feedback seriously on the Indigeneship Bill shows real leadership. Let's hope this leads to a more inclusive and practical approach for all Nigerians. #NationalUnity"

He placed a big coma (?) On his political career for a high office where he could wield great power.

I said it, the bill won't even pass anywhere. Ordinary the debating is causing uproar

He shouldn't have proposed that bill in the first place because Nigeria is not yet ripe for that.

States are mostly bound by the people of the same tribe, identity, culture and history, you don't just say someone from another tribe should have a right to lord over them. You are only calling for a brutal civil war if such right is conferred on non citizens of a particular community.

The man eye don see shege in the last couple of days...

Na now he go understand say the "Unity in Diversity" slogan for Nigeria get limit, as every tribe still hold their land very dear to them and cannot trade am with any "foreigner" .

So because of little resistance from some quarters you withdrew a bill that if implemented would have benefited Nigerias immensely, Na wa for U mr kalu southeast are very disappointed in you walai ☹️☹️ ☹️

I'm even trying to understand who that bill would benefit

The message is clear, don’t ever get on RONU bad side, you will always run when no one is pursuing you for this rest of your lives.

🤣🤣🤣🤣Look at him selfishly human being, in the hope of claiming Lagos and other parts of west he forgot the killer Fulani running around he’s backyard killing innocent people
Greedy people 😒😒😒😒😒

Hullcity:
So because of little resistance from some quarters you withdrew a bill that if implemented would have benefited Nigerias immensely, Na wa for U mr kalu southeast are very disappointed in you walai ☹️☹️ ☹️

So, that Bill is the very mind and intention of the Igbos in the South East towards other tribes in Nigeria?

No problem. You will get your reply.

Bsssss:
Good move by Deputy Speaker Kalu! Listening to the people and taking feedback seriously on the Indigeneship Bill shows real leadership. Let's hope this leads to a more inclusive and practical approach for all Nigerians. #NationalUnity"

Kalu is finished politically.
He can never be trusted with political power outside the East.
This is someone who was one of the emerging national leaders from the East, see how he messed himself up because of the genetic greed in his DNA.

blamingthedevil:
@Benjamin Okezie Kalu



https://www.facebook.com/share/p/16fSGobp44/

we already knew that bill was DOA the day it was introduced in the House. Their eye has always been on Lagos Yorubaland we won’t sacrifice or throw away our identity on the alter of one Nigeria, btw proudly lagos

Somebody say Shame!!!! 🥱🥱🥱🥱🥱
The rest of the country has seen through your expansionists agenda.

Hullcity:
So because of little resistance from some quarters you withdrew a bill that if implemented would have benefited Nigerias immensely, Na wa for U mr kalu southeast are very disappointed in you walai ☹️☹️ ☹️

Benefit your fellow SEners you mean +?? 😂 😂 😂 😂 You better better tell your people that has been hoping to move outside your region to abort the mission.🥱🥱

The West is not in support of the 'land grabbing' bill, same way the North won't support it..
What do you want the minority ethnic groups to do, especially the loud m.ouths in the Niger Delta always looking for special favours from the FG, NDDC & SSDC for same region whereas South West that generates far more revenue than South South has only one.

Kudos to everyone who voiced out against the bill.. it's anti-democratic, pro-division amongst other ills..
Let everybody go and face their home region and develop the place, you won't get indigene benefits where your forefathers didn't originate from, if you like stay 100,000 years there.

danvon:
I'm even trying to understand who that bill would benefit

isn’t the answer quite obvious? Our Almajiri blodas from across the Niger they have all deserted their region and claim to deverop everywhere but their region

It was a waste of time before!

An average hausa or fulani man will never forget his home!

There's no place like home! Ajo o le dabi ile!

A journey can never be like home!