Deputy President of the Senate and Chairman Senate Committee on Constitution Review, Senator Ovie Omo-Agege, says his committee is eager to rekindle the confidence of Nigerians by ensuring that the outcome of its review reflects the inputs made by citizens of the country during the process.
Senator Omo-Agege stated this at a two-day national public hearing on a proposal to alter the provisions of the 1999 constitution which held in Abuja.
On the 26th and 27th of May 2021, the Senate Committee on Constitution Review conducted zonal public hearings in twelve locations across the six geo-political zones of the country where members of the committee heard the views of many Nigerians and received further memoranda in addition to the hundreds of memoranda earlier submitted.
In his welcome address, the Deputy President of the Senate and Chairman Senate Committee on Constitution Review, Senator Ovie Omo-Agege, said the committee is strongly committed to its obligations to facilitate public involvement in the constitution review process.
Senator Omo-Agege stated that the public hearing is a testament to the commitment of the committee and provides another opportunity for citizens to be actively involved by contributing to decisions that will have an impact on their lives.
The Chairman Senate Committee on Constitution Review explained that the committee has also revisited some of the bills in past constitution amendments which did not pass the hurdles of concurrence with the House Of Representatives, ratification by the State Houses of Assembly and presidential assent.
The Committee according to him has painstakingly re-examined those bills and reintroduced some of the proposals it deems beneficial to the people.
In his closing remarks on day two of the public hearing, Senator Omo-Agege assured all that the presentations made at the zonal and national public hearings will be put into account urging the participants to reach out to their elected representatives to inform them on what they want.
He also thanked members of the Committee for the seriousness they attached to the exercise.
Several groups and individuals made their inputs including virtual presentations during the two days national public hearing.
The two-day national public hearing for further alteration to the provisions of the 1999 constitution was brought to a close by the chairman of the Senate Committee on Constitution Review.
Since the fourth Republic took off on May 29, 1999, Nigerians have continued to agitate for the amendment to the 1999 constitution and the 9th Senate Committee on Constitution Review has given assurance that it will be guided strictly by best legislative practices, highest ethical standards, integrity, open-mindedness and patriotism.
