The Senate said on Saturday that the report of the ongoing review of the 1999 Constitution would be forwarded to the 36 state Houses of Assembly before December 2025.
Senate Leader and South-West Zonal Chairman, Senate Committee on the Review of 1999 Constitution, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele, disclosed this at the conclusion of the tw-day zonal public hearing on constitution review held in Lagos between Friday and Saturday.
This came as the Senate challenged all stakeholders with special requests to engage and lobby their state assemblies since the National Assembly alone “cannot successfully review the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended) without their approval.”
To amend or introduce any changes into the constitution, two-thirds (24) of the 36 states must vote to approve it after being passed by the National Assembly, else it fails.
“We have completed the public hearing. We are now returning to Abuja to prepare our report. Part of our timetable is to have final notifications before the end of the year and transmit our report to all state assemblies.
“This will round off the process of the constitution review”, the Senate leader stated.
Disputed the view that the exercise was a jamboree, explaining that impactful amendments were being proposed for the good of the country.
“It is not a jamboree contrary to some dissenting views across the federation. Rather, it is designed to make consequential reforms that can guarantee our collective prosperity, more efficient governance structure and sustainable development”, he said.
The leader enjoined all stakeholders across the federation to lobby the state assemblies and their lawmakers to secure basic requirements for the successful amendment of the 1999 constitution, emphasising that the National Assembly could not do it alone.
“There is nothing the National Assembly can do without a two-thirds approval of all proposals by the state legislatures. All stakeholders must work with their lawmakers at the state level. We must appreciate the role of state assemblies to ensure the passage of the proposals into laws.
“State assemblies are part of the process. We have been in Lagos State in the last 48 hours, listening to people’s aspirations, concerns and will. All six states in the geo-political zone were represented by their elected representatives. We are in this process together to receive their presentations.
“The state assemblies are already anticipating the report of the constitution review from the National Assembly. They are not waiting for the report alone. They are also part of the constitution review process. I do not envisage any problem from the state assemblies.
“Therefore, we are advising all the stakeholders who are also looking for special considerations to extend their advocacies to the state assemblies. It is not just about them as elected representatives, but as representatives of people who elected them. People should be aware when they are making decisions to be sure that they are also doing so in consonance with the wishes of their constituents”, the zonal chairman told the participants.
On his part, the Chairman, Conference of Speakers of State Legislatures of Nigeria and Speaker, Oyo State Assembly, Rt. Hon. Debo Ogundoyin, solicited more power to be devolved to subnational governments for rapid and accelerated development.
Ogundoyin, represented by the Deputy Speaker, Rt. Hon. Abiodun Fadeyi, said both federal and state governments should be allowed to legislate on issues that border on solid minerals, labour matters, drug and poisons, telecommunications, stamp duty among others.
“Devolution of powers is key to this on-going constitutional amendment by devolving key items from the Exclusive Legislative List to the Concurrent Legislative List in the interest of all.
“For instance, the removal of the electricity matter from the Exclusive Legislative List has significantly transformed many states’ power sector through independent power supply initiatives”, Ogundoyin noted.
He also called for the establishment of state police, pointing its benefits to include improved local security, community policing, decongestion of federal responsibilities, enhanced accountability and employment opportunities.
He went on, “Concerning the state police, all the stakeholders will agree with me that the debate over the establishment of state policing has garnered momentum from both supporters and critics. The potential benefits of state police far outweigh the challenges.
“In essence, what the amendment seeks to address will be the powers, responsibilities and limits of the state police should be clearly defined, provide oversight mechanisms to prevent abuse and design a comprehensive framework for federal and state police to work in harmony to balance power and for effective coordination mechanisms.”
Among the senators who attended the hearing were Deputy Minority Leader of the Senate, Senator Olarere Oyewunmi; Chairman, Senate Committee on Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, Dr. Oluranti Adebule; Chairman, Senate Committee on Health, Senator Ipalibo Banigo; Chairman, Senate Committee on Public Procurement, Senator Olajide Ipinsangba; and Chairman, Senate Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters, Senator Adeniyi Adegbomire.
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