Hon Ben Kalu, Deputy Speaker and Chairman of the House of Representatives Constitution reform Committee, has stated that the committee intends to conclude the constitutional reform process by December 2025.
He stated that the Speaker, Hon Tajudeen Abbas, believes the committee should set a realistic schedule that does not overlap with electoral activities that could harm or unwittingly damage the change process.
Speaking at the committee’s pre-inauguration meeting in Abuja on Wednesday, Kalu stated that the committee is currently reviewing 40 proposals in various stages, all of which are linked to constitutional amendments.
He said it would be the sixth time that the National Assembly has embarked on amendments to the Nigerian Constitution.
Kalu noted: “It is not out of place to guess that there is some level of fatigue in the amendment process by some vocal sections of the populace. Whatever your opinion, it is important to let you know that we presently have 40 bills that are at various stages of consideration which relate to the alteration of the constitution.
“Secondly, we are well aware of our present challenging circumstances as a nation. The twin challenges of insecurity and economic difficulties could tamper with the confidence of our citizens. It is therefore our constitutional responsibility to respond to the 40 bills so far proposed and also to attend to the duty of the government to ensure the security and welfare of the citizens as provided by the constitution.”
Kalu stated that since the Constitution was originally given to Nigeria in 1999 by the military government of General Abdulsalam Abubakar, the National Assembly has successfully revised and made significant modifications to it.
Since then, he continued, there have been several notable changes that have been effectively implemented by prior efforts, such as age reduction, judicial reforms, electoral reforms, and the ability for younger people to be appointed to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as Chairman or Resident Electoral Commissioners, among other things.
The Deputy Speaker emphasized that the Committee understood Nigerians’ worries over the necessity of concluding and finalizing debates regarding the country’s Constitution.
As per his statement, “It is necessary for us to consistently review the various clauses in the Constitution and strive towards reaching an agreement on unresolved constitutional discussions due to the characteristics of the Nigerian Constitution and the circumstances surrounding its creation and transfer to a new civilian administration in 1999.”
