Again, the National Assembly has begun the process of amending the 1999 Constitution.
Between May and June, both the Senate and the House of Representatives Committees on Constitution Review held public hearings across the country’s six geopolitical zones.
The committees, statutorily chaired by the Deputy Senate President, Ovie Omo-Agege; and the Deputy Speaker, Idris Wase, invited the general public, executive and judicial bodies, traditional institutions, political parties, civil society organisations, professional bodies and others to attend and make submissions at the hearings.
During the hearings, some of the issues canvassed by Nigerians are the creation of more states, state police, devolution of powers, restructuring of the federation, electoral reforms, abrogation of immunity clause, tenure of office, financial autonomy for the judiciary and local governments and drafting of a brand new constitution.
Others are independent candidacy, age limit for political office contestants, separation of the office of the attorney general from the office of the justice minister, Land Use Act, women inclusiveness, referendum, increased in derivation, impeachment clause, etc.
At the beginning of the current exercise, the Senate President, Ahmed Lawan, assured that the public hearings were a platform for Nigerians to make their contributions to the process.
Again, the National Assembly has begun the process of amending the 1999 Constitution.
Between May and June, both the Senate and the House of Representatives Committees on Constitution Review held public hearings across the country’s six geopolitical zones.
The committees, statutorily chaired by the Deputy Senate President, Ovie Omo-Agege; and the Deputy Speaker, Idris Wase, invited the general public, executive and judicial bodies, traditional institutions, political parties, civil society organisations, professional bodies and others to attend and make submissions at the hearings.
During the hearings, some of the issues canvassed by Nigerians are the creation of more states, state police, devolution of powers, restructuring of the federation, electoral reforms, abrogation of immunity clause, tenure of office, financial autonomy for the judiciary and local governments and drafting of a brand new constitution.
Others are independent candidacy, age limit for political office contestants, separation of the office of the attorney general from the office of the justice minister, Land Use Act, women inclusiveness, referendum, increased in derivation, impeachment clause, etc.
At the beginning of the current exercise, the Senate President, Ahmed Lawan, assured that the public hearings were a platform for Nigerians to make their contributions to the process.