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Senate Names 56-Member Constitution Review C’ttee
The Senate, yesterday, constituted a 56-member Constitution Review Committee to handle all bills seeking alterations in the provisions of the 1999 Constitution.
The 56-member committee, announced by the President of the Senate, Dr Ahmad Lawan, consists of eight principal officers who would serve as steering committee within the larger committee.
Lawan also appointed a senator from each of the 36 states of the federation and two senators from each of the six geo-political zones.
The 56-member committee to be chaired by the Deputy President of the Senate, Ovie Omo-Agege, are the Senate Leader, Abdullahi Yahaya; Deputy Senate Leader, Prof Robert Ajayi Boroffice; Minority Leader, Enyinnaya Abaribe; Deputy Minority Leader, Senator Emmanuel Bwacha; Minority Whip, Senator Philip Tanimu Aduda; and Deputy Minority Whip, Senator Sahabi Alhaji Yau.
Other members are Theodore Orji (PDP Abia Central), Aishatu Dahiru Ahmed (APC Adamawa Central), Stella Oduah (PDP Anambra North), Albert Bassey Akpan (PDP Akwa Ibom North-East) and Dauda Jika (APC Bauchi Central).
They also include Degi Eremienyo (APC Bayelsa East), Gabriel Suswam (PDP Benue North East), Abubakar Kyari (APC Borno North), Gershom Bassey (PDP Cross River South), James Manager (PDP Delta South), Sam Egwu (PDP Ebonyi North), Mathew Urhoghide (PDP Edo South) and Bamidele Opeyemi (APC Ekiti Central).
Also on the list are a former Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu (PDP Enugu West), Danjuma Goje (APC Gombe Central), Rochas Okorocha (APC Imo West), Muhammad Sabo (APC Jigawa South West), Uba Sani (APC Kaduna Central), Kabiri Gaya (APC Kano South) and Ahmed Baba Kaita (APC Katsina North).
Others are Mohammed Adamu Aleiro (APC Kebbi Central), Smart Adeyemi (APC Kogi West), Sadiq Umar (APC Kwara North), Oluremi Tinubu (APC Lagos Central), Abdullahi Adamu (Nasarawa West), Sani Musa (APC Niger East), Ibikunle Amosun (APC Ogun Central), Nicholas Tofowomo (PDP Ondo South), Bashiru Ajibola (APC Osun Central) and Teslim Folarin (APC Oyo Central).
The committee also listed Dimka Hezekiah Ayuba (APC Plateau Central), George Sekibo (PDP Rivers East), Aliyu Wammako (APC Sokoto North), Yusuf Abubakar Yusuf (APC Taraba Central), Ibrahim Gaidam (APC Yobe East) and Mohammed Hassan Gusau (PDP Zamfara Central).
Those representing the zones on the committee are Bala Ibn Na’Allah (APC Kebbi South ) and Ibrahim Shekarau (APC Kano Central ) for the North-West geo-political zone.
For the North East Geopolitical Zone are Kashim Shettima (APC Borno Central) and Lawal Gumau (APC Bauchi South) while Lilian Ekwunife (PDP Anambra Central) and Chukwuka Utazi (PDP Enugu North), are to represent the South East Geopolitical Zone on the committee.
Senators Eyinkenyi Etim (PDP Akwa Ibom South) and Rose Oko (PDP Cross River North) are for South-South zone on the committee; Abdulfatahi Buhari (APC Oyo North) and Biodun Olujimi (PDP Ekiti South) are for South-West geo-political zone while Umar Tanko Almakura (APC Nasarawa North) and Yakubu Oseni (APC Kogi Central) are for the North Central geo-political zone.
However, Senator Ifeanyi Uba (YPP Anambra South), kicked against his exclusion from the committee, alleging that the whole membership was of both the APC and PDP stuff, which to him, was unfair.
But the Senate President, in his response, said the composition of the committee was not based on party membership but on states and zonal basis.
He said, “This composition is not about party affiliation but of equal representation from states and geo-political zones since the assignment before the committee is for the interest of Nigeria and Nigerians devoid of partisanship.
“What is expected of you is to give Nigerians a Constitution that will enhance stability, unity and enabling environment that will afford every Nigerian to actualise his or her dreams without let or hindrance.”
He, therefore, called on all Nigerians seeking alteration in any of the provisions of the 1999 Constitution, to submit their memoranda to the committee.
Meanwhile, the Senate has raised alarm over the outbreak of a strange epidemic on January 29, 2020, in Oye-Obi Local Government Area of Benue State.
The upper chamber, accordingly, urged the Federal Ministry of Health to immediately mobilize focal persons to the area to investigate and ascertain the nature of the disease which has so far claimed fifteen lives.
The Senate also urged the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) to promptly put up surveillance to contain the disease, see to the treatment of victims and protect others from contacting it.
These were resolutions reached sequel to the consideration of a motion brought to the floor by Senator Abba Moro (PDP – Benue South) during plenary, yesterday.
According to him, the first victims of the epidemic outbreak are: Happiness Ogbo, Onajobi Ogbedu, Wisdom Agwo, Andy Edu, all of whom died 48 hours after contacting the undiagnosed disease.
He added that the disease, which is yet to be diagnosed by health authorities and medical experts in Benue State, has symptoms such as headache, internal heat, diarrhea, vomiting, stomach ache, weakness of the body and swollen stomach.
“As at Monday, February 3, 2020, the number of persons affected with the strange epidemic has risen to one hundred and four,” Moro lamented.
Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, has demanded quick and full resolution to the challenges arising from the gas leakage that occurred in Bille, Degema Local Government Area of the State.
The governor has also pledged to upgrade the Primary Healthcare Centre (PHC) in Bille with a view to addressing the health challenges confronting the community.
Fubara made the pledge on Wednesday at the Government House, Port Harcourt during an enlarged meeting of key stakeholders, comprising representatives of the Federal Government, the state government and leaders of the community.
The meeting was held to review the situation in the community and explore available opportunities to save the people from the adverse impacts of environmental pollution.
Addressing the journalists at the end of the meeting, the governor acknowledged the determination of the Federal Government and its agencies to get to the root cause of the problem in Bille and ensure that it is resolved permanently.
“The meeting is in respect of the situation in Bille. You’re aware that there is a case of gas leakage somewhere in Bille and the people have been making some requests that the government should come to their rescue to resolve the situation.
“As a state, we have gone to see the situation in the community, not alone but in conjunction with the industry operators and officials of the Federal Ministry of Petroleum Resources. What we are doing today is an enlarged meeting where all the parties are sitting together to look at the cause of the issue and the most possible way to get the problem resolved,” he said.
Fubara described the outcome of the meeting as successful, stressing that more action would be taken in the next couple of weeks to ensure that the issue is fully resolved.
The Minister of State, Petroleum Resources (Gas), Hon Ekperikpe Ekpo, who led the Federal Government’s delegation to the meeting, expressed appreciation to the governor for his warm hospitality and efforts to address the challenge in Bille community.
Ekpo explained that contrary to the perception in certain quarters, the Federal Government has not been silent over the “gas seepage” but has been working tirelessly towards finding a sustainable solution.
The minister explained that as soon as the incident was reported, the Federal Government deployed experts to the area to understudy the cause of the problem.
According to him, it was difficult at first to understand the cause of the problem since there were no oil or gas infrastructure within the vicinity of the incident, hence the need to conduct a more detailed investigation.
“The investigation is still going but we decided to do a follow-up visit to the area to talk to the people of Bille Community that we need collaboration on their part so that we would be able to arrive at a lasting solution.
“The safety of the people is paramount. We can understand their anxiety, the worry and the danger that this thing poses within the area, but the Federal Government is committed to finding a lasting solution to the problem. The primary responsibility of government is to take care of the welfare and security of the people and that is exactly why we are here to go and see things for ourselves,” he said.
The Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), Mrs Oritsemeyiwa Eyesan, also explained that as the regulatory agency at the centre of the issue, no effort will be spared in the task of resolving the issue.
Eyesan pledged that the NUPRC and operators in the industry were prepared to address the requests of the impacted people in terms of the provision of potable water and fire trucks to the community.
The Public Relations Officer, Council of Chiefs, Bille Kingdom, Chief Rena Dappa, had during the meeting, presented the challenges facing the community and pleaded for government’s support to save the lives and livelihoods of the people.
President Bola Tinubu has announced the launch of a training programme for 5,000 young Nigerians as meter installers and technicians under the Presidential Metering Initiative.
The President stated that the scheme is aimed at creating jobs, closing the country’s metering gap and improving electricity supply.
The President disclosed this in a statement on his verified X handle yesterday, describing the initiative, tagged “The Power Force,” as part of his administration’s Renewed Hope Agenda to expand employment opportunities for young people.
According to Tinubu, the programme will equip participants with practical technical skills and connect them to employment opportunities in Nigeria’s power sector.
“Through the Presidential Metering Initiative (PMI), which I established to close Nigeria’s metering gap, end estimated billing, protect consumers and strengthen the electricity market, we are opening a new pathway for 5,000 young Nigerians to be trained as meter installers and technicians under The Power Force. This programme is about jobs, skills and dignity,” he said.
Tinubu said the training would be open to eligible Nigerians who have completed their secondary school education, with a dedicated quota reserved for members of the National Youth Service Corps.
He noted that expanding electricity metering was critical to improving service delivery and promoting transparency in the power sector.
“When homes and businesses are properly metered, Nigerians can pay for what they actually use. When electricity distribution companies collect revenues more transparently and fairly, they are better able to reduce losses, maintain infrastructure, expand connections and invest in better service.
“This is how we build a power sector that is fairer to consumers, stronger for investors and better able to deliver reliable electricity to the Nigerian people,” the President said.
Tinubu said he had directed the Presidential Metering Initiative to work with the Federal Ministry of Youth Development, the National Power Training Institute of Nigeria, and other relevant stakeholders to commence the programme within the next 30 days.
He encouraged qualified young Nigerians to apply, saying the initiative would provide them with marketable skills while supporting efforts to eliminate estimated billing and improve electricity access nationwide.
“I encourage eligible young Nigerians to apply. Join The Power Force. Learn a skill. Earn with dignity. Help us end estimated billing and be part of the work to light up Nigeria,” he added.
The Federal Government has announced that the third evacuation flight for Nigerians voluntarily returning from South Africa will arrive Lagos today having departed Johannesburg at midnight yesterday with 271 returnees on board.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs disclosed this in a statement issued yesterday by its spokesperson, Mr Kimiebi Imomotimi Ebienfa.
According to the ministry, the Air Peace-operated flight is expected to arrive at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, at about 5:30 a.m. on Friday, July 3, 2026.
It said the evacuation is part of the Federal Government’s ongoing efforts to facilitate the voluntary return of Nigerians from South Africa.
“The third evacuation flight operated by Air Peace will depart Johannesburg today by 12 midnight with 271 returnees. The estimated time of arrival in Lagos is 5:30 a.m. on Friday, July 3, 2026,” the statement read.
The latest batch of returnees follows earlier evacuation flights that brought hundreds of Nigerians back to the country under the Federal Government’s voluntary repatriation programme.