The Senate Committee on the Review of the 1999 Constitution has announced a two-day zonal public hearing scheduled for July 4 and 5, 2025, across Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones. The goal is to gather citizens’ opinions and input on critical constitutional amendment proposals aimed at deepening Nigeria’s democracy.
The committee, led by the Deputy Senate President, Senator Barau I. Jibrin, will conduct the hearings simultaneously in the following locations:
Lagos (South West)
Enugu (South East)
Ikot Ekpene (South South)
Jos (North Central)
Maiduguri (North East)
Kano (North West)
According to the committee’s spokesperson, Ismail Mudashir, the public hearings will focus on several key reform areas including:
Local government autonomy
Judicial and electoral reforms
Creation of state police
State creation requests
Fiscal accountability
Gender inclusion and diaspora voting
Key Bills to Be Considered
One of the proposed amendments includes granting full autonomy to the 774 local government councils, with an independent National Local Government Electoral Commission (NALGEC) to oversee local polls.
Security-related reforms include proposed laws for the establishment of state police and state security councils to improve internal security management.
On fiscal matters, several bills are lined up, including proposals to:
Strengthen the powers of the Revenue Mobilization, Allocation, and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC)
Enforce transparency in Federation Account disbursements
Set clear timelines for presenting appropriation bills by presidents and governors
More Inclusive Representation and Governance
To promote gender equity, the committee will deliberate on a bill to create additional legislative seats for women in the National and State Assemblies.
Another significant proposal seeks to establish the National, State, and Local Councils of Traditional Rulers, aimed at reinforcing the role of traditional institutions in governance.
Electoral reform bills will also be considered, including:
Legalizing independent candidacy at all election levels
Enabling diaspora voting for Nigerians living abroad
Calls for Judicial Overhaul and Power Devolution
More than 20 judicial reform bills are on the table, covering issues such as:
Timelines for court judgment delivery
Expanding the jurisdiction of election tribunals
Additionally, the committee will evaluate proposals to move certain powers, including labor and shipping, from the Exclusive to the Concurrent Legislative List, allowing states more legislative authority.
State Creation and Public Participation Encouraged
So far, the committee has received 31 state creation proposals, with varying submissions from all six geopolitical zones. The North East submitted seven, North West six, South West five, South South five, North Central five, and South East three.
The Senate committee is urging all Nigerians to actively participate in the zonal public hearings to ensure that the review process reflects the collective will and aspirations of the people.
