Posted by By BASHIR UMAR, Abuja on
The Senate has kicked-started the much-awaited process of reviewing the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria when yesterday it resolved to set up a Joint Committee of both the Senate and House of Representatives to mobilize all the stakeholders needed that would contribute to the review exercise.
The Senate has kicked-started the much-awaited process of reviewing the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria when yesterday it resolved to set up a Joint Committee of both the Senate and House of Representatives to mobilize all the stakeholders needed that would contribute to the review exercise.
Moving the motion, the Senate leader, Senator Teslim Folarin, noted the measure was long overdue owing to the complaints of loopholes, discrepancies and anomalies inherent in the 1999 Constitution and their adverse effects on the polity, by Nigerians of different persuasions.
According to him, the calls and agitations from all segments of our society for the review of the 1999 Constitution for the purpose of determining the most suitable political structure, as well as the institutional framework for the peace, good governance and progress of the country were also responsible for the review.
'The Senate is aware that the grievous hardship, discrimination, inequity and rancour within the Nigerian polity, have been attributed to the inherent discrepancies, anomalies, loopholes and lacunae prevailing in the 1999 Constitution," he said.
He expressed worry that the continued delay in the review and amendment of the Constitution, contrary to the yearnings and agitations of the Nigeria people, was capable of undermining the democratic progress in the country, even as he said the Senate was conscious of the fact that section 9 of the same constitution confers on the National Assmbly the power to initiate Constitution Amendment
Senator Folarin then reminded Nigerians that the fourth and fifth national assemblies had embarked on the patriotic duty of reviewing and amending the 1999 Constitution but could not conclude the exercise due to political reasons.
Accordingly, the motion prayed the senate to set up a joint committee of both chambers for the purpose of ensuring in-depth examination of the prevision of the constitution vis-à-vis the agitations and proposal from the Nigerian people.
The Joint Committee will comprise 74 members; two from each state of the country and Abuja; one each from the Senate and House of representatives, with the duty of conducting public hearing in all the 36 states of Nigeria and FCT with a view to receiving inputs from stakeholders in all the areas mentioned.
During the debate, a cross section of the senators expressed various reasons why the constitution review was necessary. While Senate deputy leader, Victor Ndoma-Egba, noted that 'it's necessary that we garner national concensus in reviewing the constitution, because attempts by earlier senate had failed because of lack of national concensus."
deputy senate leader, Senator Chris Anyanwu insisted that no sector of the stakeholders must be termed as too little to consider, as she pointed out that 'the media, political parties, business community, religious groups and opinion leadersd must be carried along".
Senator Bode Olajumoke also noted that it would be necessary for the entire membership of NASS to 'go back to the electorate and seek their views on various areas of interest that need be reflected in the constitutional amendment.
Senator Sahabi Ya'u stressed that the NASS 'must not fail to do the bidding of the Nigerian people by looking at all the gray areas and lacunae this time around, if the electorate interest is anything to go by."
While Senator George Akume suggested taking only four issues for review in the constitution due to what he called 'the tedious nature of amending a constitution, Senator Ali reminded the Senate that 'not only the NASS needed to have a quorum before embarking on the exercise but also a two-third majority must be secured from all the state Houses of Assembly in the country."