HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES SET 2025 TIMELINE FOR THE REVIEW OF 1999 CONSTITUTION 31-01-23
By Sadiq Aminu The National Assembly has set December 2025 as timeline to conclude the process for the review of the 1999 constitutional
The Chairman of the Constitution Review Committee, the Deputy Speaker House of Representatives Mr Benjamin Kalu stated this at the Pre- Inaugural meeting of the Meeting.
The Deputy Speaker explained that the way the 1999 constitution was enacted before it was handed over to the civilian regime in 1999 calls for constant review.
” The nature of Nigeria constitution and the history around the constitution was made before it was handover to the new civilian regime in 1999 it makes it imperative for us to continually revisit several provisions of the constitution”
According to the Committee Chairman, the house is currently working on forty bills which are at various stages of consideration which is related to the Alteration of the Constitution.
The Deputy Speaker said in the course of the review exercise, the committee will be working with experts, consultants, experienced constitutional lawyers as well as engage the citizens to get their inputs on the constitutional review.
“In the course of this Constitution Review exercise, we shall be working
with several experts across different subject areas. The Consultants that would work with the Committee would be very knowledgeable,
experienced and respected in Constitutional Law and related matters.”
“This Committee will be working in close consultation and concert with our counterpart in the Senate Committee on the Review of the Constitution.”
Mr. Kalu emphasized the National Assembly had embarked on the constitutional amendment on sixth times but it has not yielded the desired results, though there has been some significant amendments.
” Some of the significant amendments successfully made by
previous efforts include judicial reforms, electoral reforms, age
reduction, allowing younger persons to be appointed into the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as Chairman or Resident Electoral Commissioners and also allowing a lower age for contest into certain elective positions, moving certain responsibilities of government from the Exclusive Legislative List into the Concurrent Legislative List to allow for increased federalism among other things.”
Mr. Kalu while calling on the members of committee to bring bills that will represent the interests of the nation, said the committee will work with close consultation with the Senate Committee on constitutional review.