Abuja: The Senate Committee on Review of the 1999 Constitution is set to conduct public hearings on proposed amendments to the constitution across all six geo-political zones of Nigeria. The hearings, scheduled for July 4 and July 5, aim to gather citizen input on various constitutional amendments.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, the committee’s chairman, Deputy Senate President Sen. Barau Jibrin, announced through his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Ismail Mudashir, that the hearings will take place simultaneously in Lagos (South-West), Enugu (South-East), Ikot Ekpene (South-South), Jos (North-Central), Maiduguri (North-East), and Kano (North-West). The public hearings are intended to engage citizens in discussions on amendments to address national issues such as local government autonomy, electoral and judicial reforms, state creation, state police, and inclusive governance.
The committee will deliberate on several bills, including one proposing the establishment of local government councils as a tier of government, ensuring their democratic existence and tenure. This initiative is part of an effort to secure full autonomy for the 774 local government councils in Nigeria. Another bill aims to create the National Local Government Electoral Commission (NALGEC) to manage local government elections.
Security and policing will also be a focal point, with bills proposing the establishment of state police and a state security council to oversee internal security policies. Fiscal reforms will be discussed, including a bill empowering the Revenue Mobilisation, Allocation and Fiscal Commission to enforce the compliance of revenue remittance and disbursement from the Federation Account.
Additionally, the committee will consider a bill setting a timeframe for the presentation of appropriation bills by the president or state governors to their respective assemblies. Other proposals include additional seats for women in legislative bodies, the establishment of councils for traditional rulers, and independent candidacy in elections. Diaspora voting is another key issue, with a bill proposing to enfranchise Nigerians living abroad.
The hearings will also address over 20 bills aimed at reforming the judiciary, including setting timelines for judgment delivery and expanding the jurisdiction of election tribunals. There are proposals to shift items such as labor and shipping from the exclusive to the concurrent legislative list.
State creation is another significant topic, with 31 proposals under consideration. The committee has received requests for new states from various regions: five each from the South-West, South-South, and North-Central; seven from the North-East; six from the North-West; and three from the South-East.
