Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Benjamin Kalu (APC, Abia) said on Thursday, February 29, that the first draft of the amended 1999 Constitution will be ready by August 2024, saying the House is expected to adopt the final copy of the document in May 2025.
Kalu, who heads the House Constitution Review Committee, said at a press conference that a clean copy of the resolutions of the National Assembly is expected to be available for concurrence by the state Assembly between May 29 and June 13, 2025.
The Deputy Speaker, who outlined the committee’s road map for the Constitution review, said the House will embark on a zonal hearing to collate views of Nigerians in October 2024.
He added that the views collated by the House will be harmonised with the Senate Committee at a technical retreat scheduled for between February 27 and 28, 2025
He said further that the Harmonised document from the retreat will be presented before the House in March 2025, while members will vote on the bills agreed on at that committee level by the 22nd of May, 2025.
Kalu emphasised that the House set a December 2025 deadline for completion of its assignment so that issues being debated will not be tainted with political consideration and delays.
He also announced the appointment of consultants that will assist the committee in carrying out its assignment.
He said the House is working towards presenting the amended Constitution to the President for his assent by August 2025, to give home ample time to study the amendments.
Kalu said memoranda was being expected from Executive and Judicial bodies, State Governments, Women Groups, Academics, Civil Society Organizations, Labour Unions, Professional bodies, Ethnic Nationalities, Nigerians in the Diaspora, Diplomats and the general public.
He said memoranda was expected from Nigerians in the area of the Federal Structure and Power Devolution, Local Government Autonomy, Public Revenue, Fiscal Federation, and Revenue Allocation of Nigerian Police and Nigerian Security Architecture and Comprehensive Judicial Reforms.
They are also expecting memoranda on Electoral Reforms to strengthen INEC to deliver transparent, credible, free and fair elections, Socio-economic and cultural rights as contained in Chapter 2 of the constitution, Traditional Institutions, Issues of Gender, Strengthening the Independence of oversight institutions and agencies created by the constitution or according to an Act of the National Assembly.
It also includes Residency and Indigene Provisions, Immunity, the National Assembly Process of state creation and State access to mining and other matters that will promote good governance and the welfare of all persons in our country on the principles of freedom, Equality, and Justice.
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