•Proposals on state police, electoral reforms, LG creation top agenda

Sunday Aborisade in Abuja

The Senate will today (Friday) commence a two-day public hearing in Lagos as part of the ongoing efforts to review the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended).

The hearing, which will be held at WaterCrest Hotel, Ikeja, is expected to provide a platform for stakeholders in the South-west geopolitical zone to engage in deliberations on wide-ranging proposals, including the creation of 18 new local government areas, establishment of state police, and comprehensive electoral reforms.

Similar hearings are being conducted simultaneously across other geopolitical zones, with the exception of the North-west, where proceedings have been postponed following the recent demise of  Kano businessman and philanthropist, Alhaji Aminu Dantata.

Leader of the Senate and Chairman of the South-west Zonal Constitution Review Committee, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele, announced the development yesterday in a statement which outlined the programme for the Lagos hearing.

He stressed the importance of the exercise in strengthening Nigeria’s governance structures through inclusive stakeholder engagement.

According to the statement, the Senate Constitution Review Committee, inaugurated on February 14, 2024, is composed of 45 members and led by the Deputy Senate President, Senator Barau Jibrin, with Bamidele serving as Vice Chairman.

He noted that the committee had received numerous memoranda covering key areas of national interest such as security and policing, judicial and institutional reforms, local government autonomy, fiscal federalism, the role of traditional institutions, and electoral integrity.

Among the prominent proposals is a bill advocating for the establishment of state police and other state-level security agencies to bolster internal security and decentralized policing.

Another seeks the creation of a State Security Council in each state to advise governors on matters of public safety and security.

Further proposed amendments include transferring key responsibilities—such as labour, industrial relations, and minimum wage—from the Exclusive to the Concurrent Legislative List, thereby allowing both federal and state governments to legislate on these matters.

There is also a proposal to transfer control over interstate waterways to the Concurrent List, enabling both levels of government to manage shipping and navigation in inland waters.

To promote equity and democratic inclusion, one bill recommends that each local government should have at least one representative in the State House of Assembly.

This, Bamidele said, would ensure that residents of all LGAs benefit from state-level legislative decisions.

In the area of electoral reforms, Bamidele revealed that proposals have been submitted to allow independent candidacy in elections and to enable Nigerians in the diaspora to participate in voting.

Other submissions call for reforms in the nation’s fiscal operations, including the reduction of the period a President or Governor may authorize withdrawals from the Consolidated Revenue Fund in the absence of an Appropriation Act—from six to three months.

There is also a push to revise the existing derivation formula to reflect broader revenue streams generated within each state, alongside proposals to empower political parties to internally resolve pre-election disputes, potentially reducing the burden on the judiciary.

On the contentious issue of local government creation, Bamidele disclosed that the Senate had received 18 requests for new LGAs.

These include seven from the North-west, five from North-central, one from the North-east, three from the South-south, one from the South-east, and one from the South-west.

Additionally, 32 requests for the creation of new states have been submitted, with the North-west accounting for six, North-central eight, South-east five, North-east six, South-south six, and South-west four.

Bamidele reiterated the Senate’s commitment to conducting a transparent and participatory review process.

He added that the Lagos hearing presents a unique opportunity for Nigerians in the South-west to shape constitutional reforms that reflect their aspirations and values.

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