Senate Constitution Review, The Nigerian Senate has begun a comprehensive Senate Constitution review, with 31 proposed state creation requests under consideration as part of the ongoing 1999 Constitution amendment process.
9jatruecrime report that , the Senate Committee on the Review of the 1999 Constitution is currently evaluating state creation proposals, with submissions from across the country: seven from the North East, six from the North West, three from the South East, and five each from the South West, South South, and North Central zones.
In addition to these requests, the Senate is pushing for full local government autonomy for Nigeria’s 774 Local Government Areas (LGAs), aiming to constitutionally guarantee their democratic structure and tenure.
Also on the table are 20 bills focused on judicial reform, including proposals that seek to establish clear timelines for delivering court judgments.
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These developments come ahead of the Senate’s two-day zonal public hearings, which will take place simultaneously on July 4 and 5, 2025, across Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones. The hearings are designed to gather citizens’ views on the ongoing constitutional amendment process.
The public hearings will be held in:
Lagos (South-West)
Enugu (South-East)
Ikot Ekpene (South-South)
Jos (North-Central)
Maiduguri (North-East)
Kano (North-West)
Deputy Senate President Barau I. Jibrin, who chairs the review committee, aims to use these hearings to consult widely on key national issues such as local government reforms, state police, electoral reforms, and inclusive governance.
According to a statement from his special adviser on Media and Publicity, Ismail Mudashir, the hearings will focus on bills covering:
Local Government Autonomy: Including a bill to recognise LGAs as a constitutional tier of government.
Independent LG Elections: A bill proposing the creation of a National Local Government Electoral Commission (NALGEC).
Security Reforms: Proposals for state police and state security councils to enhance internal security.
Fiscal Reforms: Bills to strengthen the powers of the Revenue Mobilisation, Allocation, and Fiscal Commission, and to set timeframes for presenting budgets.
Gender Equity: A bill to create additional seats for women in national and state assemblies.
Traditional Institutions: Proposals to form National, State, and Local Government Councils of Traditional Rulers.
Electoral Reforms: Including independent candidacy at all levels and allowing Nigerians in the diaspora to vote.
Judicial Reforms: Over 20 bills, such as those seeking to enforce judgment delivery timelines and expanding election tribunal jurisdiction.
Power Devolution: Bills suggesting a transfer of items like labour and shipping from the Exclusive to the Concurrent Legislative List.
The committee emphasized the significance of citizen participation in shaping Nigeria’s future, urging the public to actively engage in the zonal public hearings.
