The Senate Committee on the Review of the 1999 Constitution will hold a series of zonal public hearing on the ongoing amendment of the constitution on July 4 and 5, across all six geopolitical zones of the country to inform Nigerians on the exercise.
The hearings, part of a sweeping national consultation process, aim to capture diverse voices and lived experiences on issues that have long stirred public debate, from local government autonomy and state policing to gender representation and the creation of new states.
Chaired by the Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Barau Jibrin, the committee will host concurrent sessions in Lagos (South West), Enugu (South East), Ikot Ekpene (South South), Jos (North Central), Maiduguri (North East), and Kano (North West).
“This is more than a legal exercise, it is a democratic process,” Barau said in a statement issued on Sunday by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Ismail Mudashir.
“Every citizen has a stake in the constitution. This is your opportunity to be heard.”
The committee is currently reviewing more than 50 amendment proposals, each reflecting longstanding concerns from different parts of the country.
Among the most closely watched proposals are two bills seeking full autonomy for Nigeria’s 774 local governments. One seeks to give constitutional recognition to local councils as an independent tier of government; the other recommends the establishment of an autonomous electoral body to oversee local elections. This is a move that could limit state governments’ influence over grassroots democracy.
Also on the agenda are proposals to establish state police forces and regional security councils, in response to growing insecurity and calls for decentralised policing tailored to local realities.
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In the area of fiscal accountability, six bills propose sweeping reforms, including a mandatory timeline for governors and the president to submit annual budgets, and the strengthening of the Revenue Mobilisation, Allocation and Fiscal Commission to ensure more transparent public finance management.
Gender representation also features prominently, with a bill advocating for reserved legislative seats for women at both federal and state levels. According to Barau, these reforms aim not only to rebalance political representation but to deepen the democratic process.
In a nod to Nigeria’s traditional heritage, another bill proposes the formal recognition of Councils of Traditional Rulers at national, state, and local levels.
The conversation extends beyond Nigeria’s borders: bills to enable diaspora voting and to permit independent candidacies in elections are also up for debate, potentially opening new doors for political participation among Nigerians globally and locally.
The committee is also reviewing over 20 judicial reform bills, many of which are aimed at speeding up justice delivery and expanding the jurisdiction of election tribunals.
Perhaps most striking is the list of 31 separate requests for new states, originating from all six zones, a signal of both Nigeria’s population growth and persistent calls for equitable representation.
As the nation prepares for what could be one of its most expansive constitution reviews since 1999, Senator Barau urged citizens not to see the hearings as mere procedure, but as a defining moment for participatory democracy.
“This is a critical time in our democracy,” he said. “We are calling on all Nigerians, youth groups, civil society, traditional leaders, the private sector, and everyday citizens, to show up, speak out, and help shape the document that defines our national life.”
The hearings are open to the public and will serve as a vital platform for citizens to air their views, submit memoranda, and propose changes that could shape the country’s legal and political landscape for generations to come.
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