The journey into fresh alterations to the Electoral Act, and the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria could comfortably be said to have commenced as soon as the 9th assembly was in place. JOSHUA EGBODO writes from the perspective of the House of Representatives, on the mounting concerns over possible delays that may hamper their delivery, as the countdown continue towards the 2023 general elections.
Constitution review and the multiple requests
With the inauguration of the House of Representatives’ special committee for a further review of the 1999 constitution, multiple requests began to flow in, in the form of memoranda to the Deputy Speaker Idris Wase-led Ad hoc panel.
Some were of ethnic and regional interests, others for political equity and devolution of power from the centre, as could be seen in the agitations for local government autonomy, which many believed will offer a better alternative to speedy grassroots development, and many more, for pecuniary reasons.
Major issues
The real journey into the ongoing exercise began on March, 22, 2021. After the inauguration of the committee at the National Assembly earlier, members of the panel went through a preparatory tuition on what was expected of them in the exercise. Wase told them during his opening remarks at the workshop that some specific burning issues of national interest will be on the table for action of the committee. He noted that the house will prioritise local government autonomy, state creation, women participation in politics, electoral and judicial reforms amongst others, as they come up.
He said it was evident, the country was passing through serious challenges as a result of the local government system which was not working as it should, stressing the need for members of the committee to pay special attention to the issues of concern to Nigerians as they embark on the fresh journey. “This is about our nation building. We have the opportunity to write our names in gold in whatever we are going to do here. We should be guided by the fact that Nigeria needs very critical reforms at this moment”, he told his colleagues.
Inputs harvested
The committee on May 24, 2021, announced that two for each, public hearing centres have been designated for the six geopolitical zones of the country, where stakeholders’ inputs would be received on the respective provided dates for each of the centres, inviting the general public, executive and judicial bodies, traditional institutions, political parties, civil society organisations, professional bodies and all other stakeholders to fully participate.
For the north central zone; Jos, the Plateau State capital will host stakeholders from Plateau, Benue, Nasarawa State and the FCT, while Lokoja will serve as the second centre, with attendees from Kogi, Niger and Kwara States, while the northeast had Bauchi as centre, whipch played host to partisans of Bauchi, Borno and Yobe states, and Yola hosting stakeholders from Adamawa, Taraba and Gombe States. Also, Birnin Kebbi as one of the centres for the north east was designated for Kebbi, Zamfara and Sokoto States, as Kano played host to attendees from Kano, Kaduna, Katsina and Jigawa States on the 2nd and 3rd of June, 2021.
For the Southeast, Enugu was named as centre to host Enugu, Anambra and Ebonyi states, while Owerri was a centre to host Imo and Abia states. It could however be recalled that the Oweri centre was later suspended due to security concerns. In the build up to announcement of the public hearing centres, Imo State was in the news for reported attacks on public institutions and mindless killing of innocent citizens, one of which was the gruesome murder of a political aide to former President Gooddluck Jonathan, Ahmed Gulak. The panel in a statement personally signed by Wase said the suspension was indefinite.
The South west had a centre in Akure, playing host to participants from Ondo, Ekiti and Osun states, while Lagos was Centre for those from Lagos, Oyo, and Ogun states. The South-south zone had Asaba Centre, hearing for which held on 2rd and 3rd June comprising participants from Delta, Bayelsa and Edo states, while Uyo centre held on 1st and 2rd June, with Akwa Ibom, Rivers and Cross River states as catchment.
“I’m appealing to you all to think only about Nigeria and work for Nigeria and ensure we deliver for our country the best constitution, as he also revealed that the members of the committee will be posted outside their zones to have a feeling of what is obtain in other geopolitical zones. We have an opportunity to write our names in gold. Let us not waste this golden opportunity as all eyes are on us. We must ensure that we do not betrayed the confidence Nigerians have in us”, the Deputy Speaker had again, stated in his mobilisation message to the citizens”, Wase tasked his colleagues on the panel.
The promises
With the hearings done, save for the Imo State centre where for the security situation then had to be suspended, a lot of promises offered calm to agitators seeking reforms in various sectors of the polity. For instance, speaker of the House of Reprssentatives, Femi Gbajabiamila who participated at the Lagos centre faulted the existing constitution, which he said was hurriedly pieced together, and defective.
According to him, the document failed to address some critical national questions confronting the country, hence the resolve by the legislature to amend it, adding that a nation’s constitution is not only the foundation of its existence but is supposed to set the terms of the nationhood and define the manner that reflects her common truths and highest aspirations. “Our constitution falls short of this standard”, he stated.
Electoral Act
The current House of Representatives revisited the Electoral Act 2010 amendment exercise, a processes that was stalled after President Muhammadu Buhari for a record three times, declined assent to the amendment Bill transmitted by the then immediate past National Assembly, citing different reasons for his veto, one of which was the argument that the proposed amendment at that time, attempted to usurp the constitutional powers of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to decide on election matters, and for the second time rejected over clauses he wanted reviewed by the National Assembly.
Fresh assurances
Flowing from worries expressed by many Nigerians that the two important documents may not be realistic before the fast approaching 2023 general polls, which some of the proposed alterations is expected to reform and enhance, the House of Representatives, last Thursday, appealed to the citizens exercise patience with the National Assembly, giving assurances that both will be delivered before politicking for the 2023 polls begin in earnest.
Spokesman of the House, Hon. Benjamin Kalu agreed that the constitution, which was almost obsolete need the touch to be in tune with the dynamism of time. “Many may want us to quickly pass the amendments but we cannot sacrifice quality for speed. Nigerians should bear with us, they should be patient with us. Just like they were behind us on the PIB (now PIA), we will also pull this through” he stated, adding that the House was committed to delivering both as soon as necessary.
Gbajabiamila’s perspectives
Speaker of the House, Femi Gbajabiamila while delivering keynote address at the 112th Founder’s Lecture of the King’s College Old Boys Association (KCOBA) in Lagos on Saturday, also said the House would ensure that the ongoing constitution amendment produces a document that would entrench inclusiveness and unity among Nigerians.
He further assured that the House would also put in place mechanisms for holding the institutions of state accountable and put an end to the debilitating conflicts that continue to tear our nation apart, noting that having inherited the union called Nigeria, “we have built it up and held it together. We accomplished this through joint effort over many years”.
He said “In the House of Representatives, we are currently in the process of a substantive review of our nation’s constitution. Our objective is to deliver a constitution that more effectively organises our politics to make it more inclusive, enshrine efficient mechanisms for holding the institutions of state to account and put an end to the debilitating conflicts that continue to tear our nation apart.
“We will not produce a perfect constitution; no such thing has ever existed in the world. However, together we can, by the choices we make and our actions, use our constitution as the foundational document of our nationhood to give life to the best promise of Nigeria”.
Delivering on the promises
To many followers of the recent developments, and assurances from the House, it may though remain a daunting task working within the limits of time, as other national and personal representational issues may expectedly, engage members; one very central being cited as the 2022 budget, which in a matter of weeks might be presented to the parliament by President Buhari, it is their suggestion that the citizens remain however optimistic. Without the documents in place soon, the gains of electoral reforms so far achieved in the past may be badly reversed in the opinion of such pundits.
Would the House therefore deliver in time, the essential twin documents as soon as necessary? That remains the question to be answered as the clock continue to tick.
