The Senate Committee on the Review of the 1999 Constitution has announced plans to organize comprehensive two-day zonal public hearings in Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones. The hearings, scheduled for July 4 and 5, aim to gather citizens’ input on proposed constitutional amendments. According to Senator Barau Jibrin, Deputy President of the Senate and Chairman of the committee, the public hearings will be held simultaneously in Lagos (South West), Enugu (South East), Ikot Ekpene (South South), Jos (North Central), Maiduguri (North East), and Kano (North West).
The committee will entertain over 50 proposals addressing various national concerns, including local government autonomy, gender representation, state police, judicial timelines, and the creation of new states. Two key bills propose granting full autonomy to Nigeria’s 774 local governments, with one seeking constitutional recognition of local councils as a distinct tier of government and the other recommending an independent electoral body to oversee local elections. This move could potentially free local politics from state governments’ grip.
The hearings will also focus on hot-button issues like the creation of state police forces and state security councils to tackle insecurity with tailored local approaches. Six bills have been proposed to improve fiscal governance, including one mandating a timeline for governors and the president to submit annual budgets and another strengthening the Revenue Mobilisation, Allocation and Fiscal Commission to ensure accountability in public finance.
Additionally, 31 separate requests for new states have been submitted from across the country, with seven from the North East and multiple proposals from the South-West, South-South, and North-Central. The committee is also seeking to advance gender equity with a proposed bill to reserve additional legislative seats for women in both the National Assembly and state houses of assembly.
Other notable proposals include formal recognition and establishment of National, State, and Local Government Councils of Traditional Rulers, enabling Nigerians in the diaspora to vote, and allowing independent candidates to contest elections at all levels. Over 20 judicial reform bills have been submitted, aiming to accelerate justice delivery and broaden the jurisdiction of election tribunals.
Emphasizing the significance of public engagement, Senator Barau Jibrin stated, “This is more than a legal exercise — it is a democratic process. Every citizen has a stake in the constitution. This is your opportunity to be heard.” The Senate urges all Nigerians to participate actively in the hearings to contribute meaningfully to shaping the nation’s constitutional framework.
