Senate Kicks Off Public Hearing on 1999 Constitution Review in Lagos
The Nigerian Senate is set to commence its highly anticipated public hearing on the review of the 1999 Constitution, with the South-West zone session scheduled to begin in Lagos on Friday. This marks a significant step in the constitutional amendment process that could reshape Nigeria’s governance structure.
Key Proposals Under Consideration
Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele (APC, Ekiti Central), who chairs the South-West zone Constitution Review Committee, revealed that the hearing will examine several groundbreaking proposals, including:
- Creation of 18 additional local government areas nationwide
- Establishment of state police forces
- Comprehensive electoral system reforms
- Restructuring of fiscal federalism
- Expansion of state powers over natural resources
Zonal Public Hearings Nationwide
The Lagos event is part of a nationwide series of public consultations, with simultaneous hearings occurring across five geopolitical zones. The North-West hearing was postponed following the death of prominent Kano businessman and philanthropist Alhaji Aminu Alhassan Dantata last Saturday.
The two-day South-West hearing will take place at Water Crest Hotel in Ikeja, Lagos, providing citizens and stakeholders an opportunity to contribute to these critical national discussions.
Major Constitutional Amendments Proposed
Security and Governance Reforms
One of the most significant proposals seeks to establish state police forces through constitutional amendment. The bill would:
- Create State Security Councils to advise governors on public safety
- Transfer police oversight from exclusive federal jurisdiction to concurrent federal-state control
Labor and Resource Management
Other notable proposals include:
- Moving labor relations and minimum wage from the Exclusive to Concurrent Legislative List
- Transferring control of interstate waterways to both federal and state governments
- Ensuring each local government has at least one state assembly representative
Electoral and Political Reforms
The committee has received several proposals to transform Nigeria’s electoral system:
- Introduction of independent candidacy for elections
- Implementation of diaspora voting for Nigerians abroad
- Mandating political parties to resolve internal disputes without court intervention
Fiscal Restructuring Proposals
Key financial governance changes under consideration include:
- Reducing the period for emergency budget withdrawals from six to three months
- Revising the revenue derivation formula to include other state-generated revenues
- Establishing strict timelines for budget presentation to legislatures
State and Local Government Creation Requests
The committee has received an overwhelming number of requests for new administrative divisions:
- 31 proposals for new states across all six geopolitical zones
- 18 requests for new local government areas nationwide
The North-West leads with seven LG creation requests, followed by North-Central (5), South-South (3), while South-East and South-West each have one request.
Committee Composition and Mandate
The 10th Senate established the 45-member Constitution Review Committee on February 14, 2024, with:
- Deputy Senate President Barau Jubrin as Chairman
- Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele as Vice Chairman
The committee has categorized proposals into nine key areas including security reforms, electoral amendments, judicial restructuring, and traditional institution roles in governance.
This constitutional review process represents one of the most comprehensive attempts to restructure Nigeria’s governance framework since the return to democracy in 1999. The public hearings aim to incorporate diverse perspectives from across the nation before finalizing amendment proposals.
Credit: Full credit to the original publisher: The Citizen