The House of Representatives will today hold a public hearing on the proposed amendment to the 1999 Constitution.
The hearing, originally scheduled earlier this month but postponed following the national mourning for former President Muhammadu Buhari, marks a major step in the ongoing efforts to amend the constitution.
Issues on the front burner are state police, power devolution, state police, special legislative seats for women, electoral and judicial reforms among others.
Deputy Speaker of the House Benjamin Kalu, who also chairs the Special Ad-hoc Committee on the Constitution Review, is expected to preside over the event at the Congress Hall of the Transcorp Hilton Hotel in Abuja.
House Spokesman Akin Rotimi said in a statement that the hearing is designed to consolidate inputs by Nigerians during consultations in July across the six geopolitical zones.
The consultations featured public hearings at 12 designated centres nationwide.
Another perspective on State Police
Rotimi described the national hearing as ‘a vital platform for Nigerians and stakeholders to shape constitutional reforms directly’.
He encouraged Nigerians to study the Compendium of 86 Constitution Review Bills, available online (https://bit.ly/HCCRCompendium), to better understand the issues under consideration and make informed contributions.
‘This national forum will consolidate citizens’ contributions ahead of legislative voting on the Constitution Review Bills. It demonstrates the House’s commitment to inclusive and participatory governance’, Rotimi said.
Kalu also underscored the people-driven nature of the exercise, insisting that any amendment must reflect the aspirations of Nigerians.
‘This Constitution belongs to all Nigerians, and its review must reflect the aspirations of our people. I urge citizens and stakeholders to participate fully in the National Public Hearing and make their voices count, because only through your contributions can we achieve a truly participatory and people-driven constitutional review’, he stated.
The House reaffirmed its commitment to a transparent and credible process, pledging that the outcome would reflect the collective will of Nigerians.
