The Senate and House of Representatives Ad-hoc Committees on Review of the 1999 Constitution have been constituted. The Senate Ad-hoc Committee has since proceeded to call for submission of memoranda on Constitution review proposals from the public and has further extended the deadline for submission from September 11 to September 25. According to the office of the Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Ovie Omo-Agege, who is the Committee Chairman, the extension is in response to appeals from stakeholders across Nigeria. Senator Omo-Agege has also expressed the Committee’s commitment to recommend all Constitution Alteration bills that come before it for consideration in the Senate, where the lawmakers will determine which proposals will be forwarded to State Assemblies. Speaking at a television interview, he also clarified that members of the Committee are not under pressure from external forces regarding the Constitution review exercise.
It is unclear how quickly the National Assembly could conclude deliberations and the process of Constitution amendment. The National Assembly’s efforts on further alteration of the Constitution comes against a backdrop of agitations for a total overhaul of the current Nigerian Constitution. Several pan ethnic groups in the country, civil society organisations and opinion leaders have stated their objections to several existing provisions of the Constitution including provisions that contradict what should be a truly federal system of government.
Meanwhile, the resumption of the National Assembly initially slated for September 15 has been postponed for two more weeks. The lawmakers are now to resume from their annual recess on Tuesday, September 29.