The House has assured Nigerians of an amended constitution to be transmitted to the President for assent by August 2025 by the two chambers of the National Assembly.
The chairman of the Constitution Review Committee in the House of Representatives, Deputy Speaker Rep. Benjamin Kalu has slated August 2025 as the deadline for the amended 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to be presented to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for assent.
Kalu disclosed this in Abuja at a press conference where he also said the first draft report of the ongoing review of the 1999 constitution would be ready in August 2024 while the second draft will be out in October 2024 and zonal inputs will start from then as lawmakers prepare for the last version of the last draft copy of the Constitution.
“We are hoping that there will be a harmonization of the issues, on the 27th, and 28th of February 2025. We are hoping that during a technical working retreat that will take place in February 2025, the Senate and the House of Representatives documents will be harmonised.
“It is our desire that on the 17th of March 2025, we will have harmonized documents considered in the House. It is our belief that by April 2025, we will have the final copies of draft amendments produced.
“We are also optimistic that by 12th May 2025, we’ll have the final clean copy of the amendments bills agreed on. And we are looking at 22nd May 2025, as a time when we will have the final report laid for consideration and voting. This is to say that members will be voting on the work we have done on this important date of 22nd May 2025
“…If it delays more than that, it will not go beyond August of 2025 because we believe that by August 2025, the president will receive the bills that will be presented to him for presidential assent. So, our target is that transmission of bills to Mr President for assent will take place in August 2025,” he said.
The Committee chair also called for the submission of memorandums from different interest groups, Civil Society Organisations (CSOs), Labour Unions, relevant institutions of government and the members of the general public to support the committee’s work.
He said that the thematic areas included Federal Structure and Power Devolution; Local Government/Local Government Autonomy; Public Revenue, Fiscal Federation, and Revenue Allocation; Nigerian Police and Nigerian Security Architecture; Comprehensive Judicial Reforms; Electoral Reforms to strengthen INEC to deliver transparent, credible, free and fair elections; Socio-economic and cultural rights as contained in Chapter 2 of the constitution and Traditional Institutions.
Rep. Kalu further stressed the need for the passage of the failed gender Bills, also strengthening the independence of oversight institutions and agencies created by the constitution pursuant to an Act of the National Assembly; Residency and Indigene Provisions; Immunity; The National Assembly; Process of state creation and State access to mining.
“In exercise of the powers conferred on the Legislature by Sections 4, 8, and 9 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended) and Order 20, Rule 30 of the Standing Orders of the House of Representatives (11th Edition) and the Legislative Agenda of the 10th House of Representatives, I am pleased to invite the Executive and Judicial bodies, State Governments, Women Groups, Academics, Civil Society Organisations, Labour Unions, Professional bodies, Ethnic Nationalities, Nigerians in the Diaspora, Diplomats and the general public, to submit memoranda or proposals for further alteration(s) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended),” he said.
