The Senate Committee on the Review of the 1999 Constitution is set to organise a comprehensive 2-day Zonal Public Hearing in the country’s six geo-political zones
Ismail Mudashir, Special Adviser to the Deputy President of the Senate on Media and Publicity, in a statement said the hearing was to gather Nigerians’ input on the proposed constitutional amendments.
The committee, chaired by the Deputy President of the Senate, Barau I Jibrin, said the public hearing which will be held simultaneously in Lagos (South West), Enugu (South East), Ikot Ekpene (South South, Jos (North Central) Maiduguri, (North East) and Kano (North West), was convened to gather the inputs of citizens on the proposed amendments to the nation’s Constitution.
The hearing, scheduled for July 4th and 5th, 2025, will examine critical national issues, including local government autonomy, electoral and judicial reforms, state creation, state police and inclusive governance.
It said one of the bills, proposes the establishment of Local Government Councils as a tier of government to guarantee their democratic existence and tenure, as part of a renewed push to grant full autonomy to the country’s 774 Local Government Councils.
The second bill on local government reforms seeks to create an independent National Local Government Electoral Commission (NALGEC) to organise, conduct and supervise local government elections.
Also to be considered during the zonal public hearing are two bills on security and policing for the establishment of state police and state security council to coordinate internal security policies at the sub-national level.
In the area of fiscal reforms, six bills are going to be considered including the one to empower the Revenue Mobilization, Allocation, and Fiscal Commission to enforce compliance of remittance of accruals into and disbursement of revenue from the Federation Account and streamline the procedure for reviewing the revenue allocation formula.
Also, on fiscal reforms, a bill to alter the provisions of the constitution to specify the period within which the president or the governor of a state shall present the appropriation bill before the National Assembly or House of Assembly will be discussed during the hearing.
In a fresh move toward gender equity, the Committee will also consider a bill to provide additional seats for women in the National and State Houses of Assembly.
To strengthen traditional institutions, a Bill for an Act to Alter the Constitution to establish the National Council of Traditional Rulers, the State Council of Traditional Rulers, and the Local Government Council of Traditional Rulers would also be considered.
On electoral reforms, a proposal seeking the amendment of the 1999 Constitution to allow for independent candidacy at all levels of election, from local councils to the presidency, will also be discussed at the public hearing. This is just as a bill for diaspora voting to enfranchise Nigerians abroad has been listed for consideration.
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