As separately announced last week, lawmakers at both the Senate and the House of Representatives will today (Tuesday) vote on amendments proposals by their Ad – Hoc Committees on Constitution Review. TAIYE ODEWALE reports.
History of Constitution Reviews
While amendments were not carried out on the nation’s Constitutions during the first, second and aborted 3rd republics, it has become a periodic exercise in the fourth republic as each session of the National Assembly from the 5th to the present 9th, carried out the exercise with or without success.
Success/Failure of Past Exercise
Analytically, while the exercise, to some extent, can be said to be successful in the 6th National Assembly led by the former President of Senate, David Mark and former Speaker, House of Representatives, Dimeji Bankole; the 5th, 7th and 8th National Assembly efforts yielded no fruits either as a result of outright rejection of the proposals by the federal lawmakers at the stage of final consideration or refusal of assent by President after passage.
Initial focus of the current exercise
During inauguration of the Ad – Hoc Committees in October 2019 and particularly at the zonal public hearings, wide range issues bordering on devolution of powers between the centre and federating units known as federal and state governments, were said to be the focus like state policing, judicial reform/autonomy and local government autonomy.
Specifically, at the zonal public hearing in Lagos, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon Femi Gbajabiamila said: “The 1999 Constitution is the product of a hurried national compromise that we entered into two decades ago in order to ensure that the military returned to the barracks and that we returned to democratic government.
“No nation in the world has a perfect constitution, but we need a near-perfect constitution in Nigeria and we can achieve that through substantive amendments that significantly alter the character of our nation.
“Therefore, the task before us now is to use this process of review and amendment to devise for ourselves a constitution that resolves the issues of identity and political structure, of human rights and the administration of government, resource control, national security and so much else, that have fractured our nation and hindered our progress and prosperity.
“Our job is to produce a constitution that turns the page on our past, yet heeds its many painful lessons. It is not an easy task, but it is a necessary and urgent one.”
Stakeholders submissions
At such zonal public hearings of both the Senate and the House of Representatives, stakeholders concentrated their submissions on issues relating to devolution of powers and fiscal Federalism.
One of such stakeholders is the executive governor of Kaduna state, Mallam Nasir El- Rufai, who at the Senate ‘s zonal public hearing in the North West said: “The reality of our security situation today requires that Nigeria must strengthen its military and security agencies. This includes decentralising the police to enable the states to exercise effective control in securing their residents and communities.
“We need to have federal, state and community policing structures with each granted sufficient powers to make them effective in securing the areas assigned to them and cooperating closely with each other.’’
Also at such fora in Lagos, Governor Babajide Sanwo – Olu said: “For us in Lagos state, the issues of state police and fiscal federalism are at the top of the priority list for us in this ongoing review process.
“Equally fundamental, particularly, for us in Lagos state, is the issue of a special economic status for Lagos, considering our place in the national economy and the special burdens we bear by virtue of our large population and limited landmass.
“I believe the need for this special status has been sufficiently articulated and justified. This request is by no means a selfish one, but one that is actually in the interest of every Nigerian and of Nigeria as a nation”
Realities on ground
As fervent as the calls for Constitution review, along the line of restructuring was, amendments proposals being brought forward by Ad – hoc committees of both chambers for voting today are not in anyway reflective of such.
First indicator to this effect, was the remark made by the Chairman of the Senate Ad – Hoc committee on Constitution Review, Senator Ovie Omo-Agege at the joint retreat held by the committee, that of the House of Representatives and Speakers of the 36 State Houses of Assembly at the Transcorp Hilton Hotel in Abuja about three weeks ago.
Omo-Agege at the retreat said: “The proposed amendments in the bills we have shared with you set out institutional and legal reforms, which together with sufficient political will, will help to strengthen institutions of governance, provide for accountability and transparency in governance and create an independent judicial system that would ensure effective administration of justice in Nigeria.
“The overarching rationale for the amendments contained in these bills are thus predicated on the need to amongst others: strengthen the legislature’s authority to enable it to serve as an effective pillar of checks and balance to the executive; strengthen independent constitutional bodies; create and strengthen a culture of good governance; address the issues of corruption, revenue leakages and unbridled government spending” .
Also separate remarks made at both chambers last week by the President of Senate, Ahmad Lawan and Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon Femi Gbajabiamila, as well as Chairmen of the Ad-Hoc committees during the laying of the reports, pointed at the direction of cosmetic review exercise.
This is more so when the proposal for female inclusiveness in governance, was over celebrated ahead of voting today.
The Senate President, Ahmad Lawan, in his remarks on the proposal said: “The First Lady’s visit is to show support for a bill for more female parliamentarians in both chambers in the Senate and the House and the state legislatures.
“This, we believe, will help in nation building as such significant participation by our women will add value to not only legislation but the much desired and needed national development.
“For us as a nation, our motto is Unity and Faith, Peace and Progress. We believe that all hands must be on deck to ensure the participation of each and every segment of our society.”
However, since the report will be fully unveiled today through item by item voting, Nigerians will see whether amendments proposals settled for by the federal lawmakers, are substantial or not.
