Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Benjamin Kalu, on Monday, informed that the parliament will ensure that the ongoing amendment process to Nigeria’s constitution will reflect the aspirations of the citizens.
Kalu, who doubles as the Chairman of the House Committee on Constitution Review, made the remarks while delivering his welcome address at the Constitution Review National Public Hearing in Abuja.
He recalled that since its inauguration, the Committee has undertaken the most comprehensive and consultative review process in Nigeria’s democratic history, organizing retreats with legal scholars and technical consultants, dialogues with the judiciary, security agencies, national women groups, engagements with civil society, and zonal public hearings across all six geopolitical zones.
“From the colonial-era Clifford Constitution of 1922 to the current 1999 Constitution, each iteration of our ground norm has been a mirror reflecting our society at a point in time, its aspirations, its anxieties, and its unresolved questions.
“This is the solemn mandate of the House of Representatives Committee on Constitution Review. Since our inauguration, we have embarked on the most comprehensive and consultative review process in Nigeria’s democratic history,” he said.
Kalu further noted that the House is considering 87 bills that touch on critical issues of public and national interest for the amendment of the Constitution.
“Before us is a compendium of 87 proposed amendment bills, each a response to the felt needs and expressed desires of the Nigerian people. They are organised around the central pillars of a modern, functional, and just society.
“We are considering extensive electoral reforms, including proposals for independent candidacy, the establishment of an Electoral Offences Commission, and a fixed timeline for the determination of pre-election matters to ensure that the will of the people is never again subverted by legal technicalities.
“Therefore, I implore you: do not let this be the end of your participation. Hold your elected representatives accountable. Engage with your state legislators. Ensure that the reforms you champion here today are not diluted or discarded on the long road to enactment,” he stated.