STRATEGIES FOR IMPROVEMENT OF THE QUALITY OF BILLS AND LEGISLATIVE DRAFTING IN NIGERIA

Abstract

“…a systematized,...developed approach”1 or framework for legislative drafting is a necessity for
the production of quality Bills or legislation which in turn contributes to the overall national
development of any democracy. In the field of legislative drafting the Seidmans2 are among “some
experts [who] have developed a whole theory about how [legislative] drafting can help third world
development” 3
Conversely, an unorganised or “unsystematic approach”4 to legislative drafting is often identified
as one of the major reasons for poor quality legislation in Nigeria and other transitional and
developing countries as is established. Another authoritative study in legislative drafting, has
established that “...a near complete lack of unified methodology in the drafting of legislation
nationally” “especially in the third world and emerging democracies”5 is the single most
important cause for poor quality Bills and legislation.
The focus of this research is to persuade and make a case for the key actors and stakeholders
within Nigeria’s legislative process to adopt a holistic strategy for the improvement of the quality
of Bills and legislation in Nigeria through legislative drafting and other related strategies.