The Nigerian Senate on Friday (today) commenced its zonal public hearing on the review of the 1999 Constitution in Lagos, spotlighting critical proposals including the establishment of state police, creation of additional local government areas, and sweeping electoral reforms.
The South-west session of the hearing, which runs from Friday to Saturday at Water Crest Hotel, Ikeja, is part of a nationwide consultation drive aimed at incorporating citizens’ views into the constitutional amendment process.
Similar hearings are being held simultaneously across other geopolitical zones, with the exception of the North-west, where proceedings were postponed due to the recent death of prominent Kano businessman and philanthropist, Alhaji Aminu Alhassan Dantata.
Speaking at a briefing on Thursday, Opeyemi Bamidele, senate leader and chairman of the South-west Zone Constitution Review Committee, said the exercise represents a pivotal opportunity for Nigerians to shape reforms addressing longstanding governance challenges.
“This forum offers Nigerians the opportunity to contribute to thorny issues affecting the country’s governance structure,” Bamidele said, adding that proposals span security, fiscal reform, judiciary restructuring, and political inclusivity.
The review is being conducted by a 45-member Senate Committee on the Review of the 1999 Constitution, inaugurated on February 14, 2024. The committee is chaired by Deputy Senate President, Senator Barau Jubrin, with Bamidele serving as vice-chair.
Among the far-reaching proposals under review is a bill to amend the constitution to allow states to establish their own police forces or similar security agencies. “There is a proposal bill to provide for the establishment of state police or other state government security agencies,” Bamidele said.
In tandem, another bill seeks to create a State Security Council to advise governors on public safety issues. Other security-focused reforms include proposed constitutional changes to devolve control of interstate waterways and labour-related matters from the Exclusive Legislative List to the Concurrent List—empowering both state and federal governments to legislate on them.
“There is a proposal bill to transfer control of interstate waterways from the Exclusive Legislative List to the Concurrent Legislative List,” Bamidele noted. “This would grant both the federal and state governments the power to legislate on matters relating to shipping and navigation on interstate waterways.”
The review also targets more inclusive legislative representation. “There is a proposal to ensure that every local government in each state has at least one member representing the local government in the House of Assembly,” Bamidele added. This, he said, is intended to promote equity and enhance access to democratic dividends.
Electoral reforms featured prominently among the proposals, including provisions for independent candidacy and diaspora voting for Nigerians living abroad. Bamidele also highlighted fiscal policy reforms aimed at enhancing accountability and budgeting efficiency at both federal and state levels.
“The proposals seek a timeframe within which the President or a State Governor shall lay the Appropriation Bill before the National Assembly or House of Assembly,” he said. “They also canvass for the period within which the President or Governor may authorise withdrawals from the Consolidated Revenue Fund in the absence of an Appropriation Act to be reduced from six months to three months.”
Another proposal advocates for a revision of the revenue derivation formula to include a broader range of locally generated revenues. Political party reforms are also on the table, including one seeking to compel parties to resolve all pre-election disputes internally before resorting to court action.
On administrative restructuring, the Senate has received 31 proposals for the creation of new states across the country: six from the North-west, eight from the North-central, five from the South-east, six from the North-east, six from the South-south, and four from the South-west.
Regarding local government creation, Bamidele disclosed that 18 requests had been submitted nationwide. “Seven requests came from the North-west; five from the North-central; one from the North-east; three from the South-south; one from the South-east and one from the South-west,” he said.
He also revealed that stakeholders from the Federal Capital Territory are pushing for constitutional recognition of the FCT as a subnational entity.
The Senate Constitution Review Committee is expected to synthesize feedback from these hearings into formal amendment proposals, which will subsequently be debated and voted on by the National Assembly.
“The future of Nigeria’s democracy depends on the inclusiveness and boldness of the reforms we are now considering,” Bamidele concluded.
