The Nigerian Senate, via its Committee on 1999 Constitution Amendment says it will complete the amendment process in 24 months.
Chairman of the Committee, Senator Barau Jibrin, said this at the inaugural meeting of the committee on Wednesday in Abuja.
“It is important to note that the Committee is not constituted to rewrite the 1999 Constitution but to process proposed amendments to it, and we will strive to conclude this assignment within the next 24 months.”
Senate President Godswill Akpabio, had explained when the committee was constituted that the 1999 constitution needs a review because it contains many issues that “needs to be put right.”
“There is a need for us to touch some aspects of the constitution to bring them in line with current relatives, particularly with the era of artificial intelligence and some of the things we have observed that need to be put right,” Akpabio had said.
At the inaugural meeting, Senator Jibrin pledged that members of the committee would be diligent in the amendment of the constitution.
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Senator Jibrin, who is the Deputy Senate President, said that members of the committee would be guided in the amendment process by a work plan.
“The secretariat will submit a work plan and a process map with time-lines to the Steering Committee which will be presented for consideration and approval by members in the next meeting,” he said.
He said that the committee would collaborate with members of the House of Representatives and critical stakeholders in the amendment process before the president’s assent.
“I wish to quickly remind you that we will work in synergy with our counterparts in the House of Representatives, and we will be very strategic in the conduct of our affairs.
“We will be guided by the laws and rules of legislative business, including precedence where it does not conflict with any known rule, while also being innovative where we can.
“The Committee will strongly consult and engage critical stakeholders in a way that will ensure that bills passed by the National Assembly will be approved by the State Houses of Assembly and assented to by Mr. President,” he said.
Senator Jibrin urged members of the committee to be committed to the constitutional review and amendment.
“I enjoin us to be committed to the activities of the Committee because the task ahead is huge as some of the issues already canvassed by some critical stakeholders are quite delicate.”
