Constitutional Review: NASS Holds Zonal Public Hearings, May 26, 27

The National Assembly, yesterday, disclosed that the zonal public hearing on the review of the 1999 Constitution would hold in the six geopolitical zones of the country between May 26 and 27 ahead of a national public hearing in Abuja.
The public hearing would simultaneously hold across 12 state capitals as each geopolitical zone would host two public hearings within the two days.
The Chairman, Senate Committee on Constitution Review and Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Ovie Omo-Agege, disclosed this in Abuja.
Speaking while playing host to members of the Legal Defence and Assistance Project (LEPAD), led by its National Coordinator, Chino Obiagwu (SAN) in the DSP’s office, yesterday, Omo-Agege called on those who have already submitted memoranda to speak to the documents at the events.
According to the deputy president of the Senate, the public hearing for the South-South Zone will hold simultaneously in Port Harcourt and Asaba while Enugu and Owerri would host the hearing for the South-East geopolitical zone.
The state delegations to attend the Port Harcourt event include those from Rivers, Akwa Ibom and Cross River while those from Delta, Edo and Bayelsa would meet in Asaba.
The public hearing for the North-Central Zone would be hosted in Jos and Minna while that of North-East and North-West would hold in Bauchi and Gombe as well as Kaduna and Sokoto, respectively.
Akure and Lagos would host the historic hearing for the South-West geopolitical zone.
Represented by his Chief of Staff, Dr. Otive Igbuzor, Omo-Agege assured that women’s interests in the new Constitution review would be protected.
On the inclusion of Affirmative Action in the Constitution, he called on the women to reach out to elected representatives and groups from other geopolitical zones in the country, noting that they were key in determining if such demands could scale through in the ongoing Constitution amendment exercise.
“You will have also observed that on each of the Constitution review that has been done in the past, Affirmative Action and increased women representation have always been on the agenda. But in the past we have not been able to muster the numbers required to effect constitutional change.
“However, in every exercise, we have seen increasing numbers of legislators’ support the process. So, the challenge is how to reach the critical threshold during this process.
“Your work is quite cut out for you. But be rest assured that we are partners in this business,” he said.
Earlier, the National Coordinator, Legal Defence and Assistance Project (LEPAD), Chino Obiagwu (SAN), called for increased women participation in politics.
According to him, the group has already submitted six proposals to the panel, explaining that if passed, women would occupy their rightful place in both elective and appointive positions in the country.
“We solicit your support and leverage on your influence in advocating for constitutional amendment and other legal reforms geared towards increasing women’s political participation in Nigeria,” he said.

By: Nneka Amaechi-Nnadi, Abuja