The Senate Constitutional Review Committee has so far received a total of 250 memoranda from the public and 60 bills for constitutional amendments sponsored by Senators.
This was disclosed in a communique released by the committee at the end of its three-day retreat held between 29-30 Jan, 2021 to review and analyse memoranda received from Nigerians towards the proposed amendment of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999.
The Senate Ad hoc Committee on the review of the 1999 Constitution was inaugurated in January 2020 under the Chairmanship of the Deputy Senate President, Ovie Omo-Agege, according to the communique jointly signed by Dr Otive Igbuzor, Chief of Staff to Deputy Senate President and Robert Emukpoeruo (SAN) Lead Consultant to the Senate ad-hoc Committee on the Review of the 1999 Constitution.
Further, the retreat also reviewed and analyzed the 2014 National Conference Report, Report of the APC ad-hoc Committee on True Federalism and other previous reports on improving the Constitution of the Federation.
The task of the retreat is to work with the technical consultants and other experts to analyse these memoranda and produce concise recommendations that will translate into bills proposal for the Senate Committee.
The memoranda received from the public on review of the Committee covered diverse issues including gender equality and affirmative action including inclusiveness of women, youth and persons with a disability, devolution of power to the federating units, local government fiscal autonomy, the unfettered autonomy of the judiciary, derivation, streamlining of criteria for qualification for participation in elective offices at all levels.
Key issues in the memoranda include the creation of states and local governments, restructuring the federation by the review of the derivation principles and legislative powers of the federal, state and local governments.
Key presentations were made by experts on increasing participation of women in governance, and recommendations that will support women to seek elective offices at the Local government, state and federal levels.
Some of the recommendation in the memoranda considered at the retreat cover making constitutional provision for allocation of 35% of political positions reserved for female candidates, and gender inclusiveness in the Constitution.
The Deputy Senate President tasked the technical committee to work towards finalising the constitution review bill for passage in June 2021, because many Nigerians are expectant of the outcome of the exercise.
In her opening remarks to the retreat, the UN Women Country Representative to Nigeria and ECOWAS, Ms Comfort Lamptey noted the low representation of women in public life especially in Nigeria’s political sphere, lamenting that Nigeria ranked 185 in the world on women participation in governance.
Also speaking at the retreat, the Country Director, National Democratic Institute (NDI), Dr Stephen Snook, commended the initiative of the National Assembly to review the Constitution and urged the Committee to pay close attention to issues concerning promoting gender rights especially in the area of equality and women’s rights.
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