Deborah Akinyosoye
In a landmark move to review the Constitution, the Senate has announced that it will hold simultaneous public hearing across the six geopolitical zones on July 4 and 5, 2025, to gather citizens’ input on the proposed amendments, ranging from local government autonomy to state creation and gender inclusion.
On its part, the House of Representatives is considering 87 prioritised constitutional amendments, grouped into thematic areas reflecting Nigerians’ aspirations and concerns.
During a dinner with the diplomatic community at the National Assembly Complex in Abuja, over the weekend, the Deputy Speaker, Benjamin Kalu, who also chairs the House Committee on Constitution Review, disclosed the thematic areas as gender bills and inclusive governance, security and police reforms, fiscal and judicial reforms, devolution of powers and local government autonomy.
The Senate’s announcement was made in a statement by Ismail Mudashir, Special Adviser on Media and Publicity to the Deputy Senate President and Chairman of the Constitution Review Committee, Barau Jibrin.
According to the statement, the hearing will take place in Lagos (South-West), Enugu (South-East), Ikot-Ekpene (South-South), Jos (North-Central), Maiduguri (North-East) and Kano (North-West).
The aim, the committee explained, is to ensure widespread civic participation and inclusiveness in the constitution amendment process.
Among the key issues up for debate are:
Local Government Autonomy, State Police and Security, Judiciary Reform, Gender Equity, Electoral Reform, State Creation, Traditional Rulers and Devolution of Powers.
Mudashir stressed the review committee’s commitment to a transparent, inclusive process, and urged Nigerians across the six zones to participate actively in the hearings.
“This is a national call to all Nigerians. Our Constitution is the backbone of our democracy and must reflect the will and aspirations of the people,” he said.
According to the committee, these public hearings are not just symbolic, but a real opportunity for Nigerians to shape how they are governed politically, economically and socially.
On the House of Representatives’ priority areas, Kalu said: “Our committee is deeply committed to enhancing the political representation of women and addressing gender disparities in our governance framework. We are considering bills that would create reserved seats for women in the National Assembly and Houses of Assembly, ensure gender balance in the composition of the Federal Character Commission, and promote fairness and inclusivity in leadership positions.
“Our committee has passed for second reading a landmark bill (HB-617) seeking to transfer policing from the Exclusive to the Concurrent Legislative List, enabling the establishment of State and Local Government Police.”
He said the committee was considering 10 bills to enhance accountability, improve revenue management, and ensure prudent economic governance.