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‘We’re Aiming At New Constitution For Nigeria’
The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon Femi Gbajabiamila has said that the 9th Assembly would review the entire 1999 Constitution with the aim of birthing a document that will reflect democratic ideals and resolve foundational conflicts threatening Nigeria’s journey to nationhood.
The Speaker made the disclosure in his speech to mark the end of the legislative year.
The House proceeded on its annual vacation, yesterday, after the plenary.
Gbajabiamila said, “The constitutional amendment process in the House of Representatives continues apace. We have received submissions from across the country. We have conducted nationwide public hearings to seek the views of the Nigerian people so that the final product of the process reflects as much as is possible, the best expectations of our fellow citizens. As I have said before, this constitutional amendment process is unlike those that came before.
“This time, we seek nothing less than a wholesale review of the constitution with the express intention of crafting a document that reflects the democratic ideal, and at the same time resolves those foundational conflicts of our nationhood that hinder our march to progress. The current constitution of our Federal Republic reflects our past. We need a constitution that speaks to our present and makes a better future possible. And it is our commitment in this 9th House of Representatives to deliver such a constitution.”
The Speaker also appealed to the members and Nigerians in general not to give heed to actions and utterances that will tear the nation apart.
“This year there have been too many occasions when good faith efforts by the House of Representatives to address questions of law and regulation have been misconstrued as an attempt to perpetuate injustice against the people we serve. I am not unmindful of the fact that some of these reactions are result of years of broken promises by politicians and government. Yet, it is also evident that there are those who for-profit and ambition, have devoted themselves to creating conflict, and engendering in our citizens the kind of cynicism that makes all constructive collaboration impossible.
“Fellow Nigerians, let us take care not to give ourselves over to those who try to exploit our legitimate grievances to create chaos and disaffection. We must not heed the call of those who propose no solutions but stand ever ready to cast aspersions and insinuate the worst motives of our action. Our problems are real, and the challenges we face are significant.”
Those problems will not be made less real, nor will we overcome our challenges, if rather than work together in the cause of nation-building, we stand in permanent opposition to one another – tribe against tribe, region against region, partisan against partisan.
“Citizens and leaders alike have choices to make about our future, about the country we want to live in and leave to the next generation. Some of such choices will be difficult, requiring us to make sacrifices and endure difficulties. Some other choices will sometimes cause us to disagree.
“We must decide at this moment in time whether we are prepared to learn from and call on the lessons of our history so that we may be inspired therefrom to rise once more in defence of our values, our interests, and the dignity of all our nation’s people. Let us work to re-establish in our country, the bonds of brotherhood that allow us to disagree but never to forget that in the end, through whatever may come, we are family, bound one to another, and we must look out for each other”, he said.
Regretting the deadly dimensions Covid-19 has assumed, Gbajabiamila urged Nigerians to pursue personal hygiene.
He said, “Distinguished colleagues, unfortunately, despite the valiant efforts of scientists who have discovered a vaccine, and notwithstanding efforts by governments and others, to make those vaccines available, Covid-19 has emerged with a new and deadly variant that threatens our world once more. We have already seen the devastation that this disease is capable of, and as such, we must not allow ourselves to be left to its mercy.
“It is time for us now to take the same precautions of personal hygiene and social interaction that we did last year when the pandemic was at its most potent. Let us take the opportunity of this recess to speak to our constituents and provide them with the tools they need to protect themselves against this deadly disease.”
The Speaker also announced the suspension of the activities of all committees of the House except that of the Finance working on the Medium Expenditure Framework (MTEF) and the internal security.
“As we come to the end of this legislative period, we recognise that where much has been done, there is still a lot left to do. We are aware that though much has been achieved, there remain many challenges that task us, that require of us that we work harder, collaborate better, and make the hard decisions that are required for progress and prosperity. This recess is therefore an opportunity for members of the Honourable House to engage with constituents to understand the areas of their most pressing concerns so that when we return, we can begin to address those as a matter of the highest priority.
“The work of the legislature never ends. Even though we will not be here in chambers making laws and advocating for our people, our attention will still be required in our constituencies on other engagements relating to our service in this House of Representatives. Nevertheless, let us all endeavour to use this recess to spend time with our families, and for deep reflection, to examine ourselves and assess the quality of the service we have each provided this year.
“It is from such reflection, that we will be able to determine those areas where improvements are needed, and where we need to do better than we did in the past year. To this end, all committee assignments except finance working on MTEF and the Internal Security that will be working on the security on our premises, are suspended till resumption”, he said.
The 11 collections were selected from a total of 223 entries received for this year’s competition.
Chairman of the Advisory Board for the Prize, Prof. Akachi Adimora-Ezeigbo, who announced the longlist, said the emergence of the 11 collections marks a significant milestone in this year’s competition and reflects the exceptional quality, creativity and diversity of contemporary Nigerian poetry.
According to her, the longlisted titles, arranged in alphabetical order, are: Adult Love by Tanure Ojaide; Bakandimiya by Saddiq Dzukogi; Black Passport by Paul Akpomuje; 2000 Blacks by Ajibola Tolase; Ceremony For The Nameless by Theresa Lola; Corpus: Animistic Verses by Ayo Oyeku; and Floral’s Love Colony by Tares Oburumu.
Other successful entries are, The Origin of Wounds by Malik Gbolahan; The Years of Blood by Adebayo Agarau; Unbind Me Now by James Ugwu Eze; and Why Does God Need a Gun by Ogaga Ifowodo.
Prof. Adimora-Ezeigbo described the announcement as an important stage in the 2026 edition of the prize.
She noted that the collections demonstrate the remarkable capacity of poetry to illuminate human experience through thoughtful reflection, cultural memory and artistic expression.
According to her, the works revisit history while interrogating dominant historical narratives and exposing the forces that shape collective identities and social relations.
She stated that despite their varied emphases, the books share a commitment to exploring the endurance of individuals and communities in the face of violence, oppression and social fragmentation.
On style and language, Prof. Adimora-Ezeigbo said the books display an impressive diversity of poetic techniques marked by lyrical intensity, symbolic depth and artistic innovation.
“Many employ densely poetic, allegorical, and elegiac modes that invite multiple layers of interpretation, while others draw extensively on folklore, oral traditions, and contemporary realities to create a compelling fusion of past and present. Their language is generally fluid, evocative, and aesthetically refined, relying on vivid imagery, emotional resonance, and intellectual sophistication to communicate complex ideas. These works demonstrate how poetic language can illuminate social realities; challenge established perspectives and give voice to both individual and collective experiences.
“The next stage will demand a closer reading of each work, with attention to language, form, originality and lasting literary value,” she stated.
The Board chairman commended the judges for their painstaking work and reaffirmed the Advisory Board’s commitment to a credible process, literary excellence and the promotion of a strong reading culture.
With the announcement of the 11-title longlist, the competition now moves to the next phase, with a shortlist of three expected in August and the winner to be announced in October.
Sponsored by the Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas (NLNG), The Nigeria Prize for Literature carries a cash award of $100,000 for the author of the winning book.
Now in its 22nd year, the prize rotates annually across four genres – prose fiction, poetry, drama and children’s literature – with the 2026 edition devoted to poetry.
Speaking at the 2026 Annual General Meeting and Scientific Conference of the NMA held in Port Harcourt last Wednesday, the Secretary to the State Government, Dr. Dagogo Wokoma, described the association as a vital partner in the quest to improve healthcare delivery and outcomes.
Wokoma, according to a statement by the Head of Information and Public Relations Unit in his office, Julian Masi, noted that the NMA’s sustained advocacy for professional standards and quality medical practice has continued to impact positively on the healthcare sector and national development.
He said the conference theme, “Medical Practice in Nigeria: The Past, the Present and Quo Vadis,” offers a valuable platform for stakeholders to evaluate the progress made in the health sector, examine present realities, and develop practical solutions for future challenges.
He paid tribute to Nigerian doctors and other healthcare professionals for their sacrifices and unwavering commitment to service despite the challenges confronting the sector.
“We deeply appreciate the immense sacrifices made daily by Nigerian doctors and other healthcare professionals. In the face of numerous challenges, they continue to demonstrate exceptional resilience, professionalism, dedication and commitment to saving lives. Their contributions remain critical to national development,” he said.
In her keynote address, the immediate past Commissioner for Health, Prof. Adaeze C. Oreh, called on participants to critically examine the current state of medical practice in Nigeria and explore innovative approaches that will address emerging healthcare challenges in line with the conference theme.
Earlier, the Chairman of the Nigerian Medical Association, Rivers State Branch, Dr. (Prof.) Annabel Ureh Oparaodu, expressed gratitude to Governor Siminialayi Fubara for his continued support for the medical profession in Rivers State.
She urged delegates to maximize the opportunities provided by the conference through active engagement and knowledge sharing.
Highlights of the event included the commissioning of the Nigerian Medical Association Doctors’ Lodge and the NMA Water Factory, initiatives designed to improve members’ welfare and promote sustainability within the association.
Federal Commissioner, NPC, Rivers State, Prof. Itotenaan Henry Ogiri, announced said this recently during a press briefing in his Port Harcourt office.
Ogiri said the full digital registration of births and deaths took effect nationwide on July 1, 2026, and is now being implemented across Rivers’ 23 Local Government Areas as part of the Commission’s rollout in the 36 States of the Federation and the FCT.
“Today’s announcement marks a significant milestone in Nigeria’s journey towards a modern, technology-driven civil registration system,
“It reflects the Commission’s commitment to ensuring that every birth and every death occurring in our country is accurately captured through a secure, efficient and digitally enabled platform,” he said.
The Federal Commissioner noted that while Nigeria records an estimated five million births annually, coverage remains low.
“Birth registration currently stands at about 57%, while death registration is below 20% nationwide.
“These gaps underscore the urgent need for a more efficient and accessible registration system,” he stated.
To address this, he said the commission has established 4,011 functional registration centres across the 774 LGAs, with plans to expand to about 8,000 centres nationwide.
According to him, in Rivers State, structures have been put in place and personnel are working with health facilities, LGAs and community stakeholders to ensure accessibility.
Ogiri explained that the VitalReg platform offers faster registration, 24-hour access, automated data validation for accuracy, reduced paperwork and waiting time, enhanced record security, and a stronger national database to support other government information systems.
He added that the platform would integrate seamlessly with Nigeria’s national digital identity framework, including the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) to improve coordination and service delivery.
“The initiative builds on the launch of the E-CRVS System and the inauguration of the National Coordination Committee on CRVS by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on November 8, 2023.
“It also aligns with the Federal Government’s Renewed Hope Agenda on digital transformation and transparency,” he said.
The NPC Commissioner stressed that success depends on partnerships and public participation and listed key collaborators as ALGON, NIMC, UNICEF and Barnksforte Technologies Limited.
“In Rivers State, we will continue to work closely with the State Government, Local Government Councils, healthcare providers, traditional institutions, religious organisations, development partners, civil society organisations and the media to ensure that no child or family is left behind,” he said.
The commissioner called on parents, guardians, healthcare workers and community leaders to ensure prompt registration of every birth and death, noting that a complete civil registration system strengthens governance and supports sustainable development.
He reassured the public that birth registration and birth notification services remain highly subsidised, though specialised administrative services such as record modification, certificate reissuance, attestations and verification will attract approved charges to support system sustainability.
Ogiri appreciated the Rivers State Government for its support, and commended NPC staff in the State, as well as development partners, LGAs, healthcare institutions, traditional and religious leaders for advancing civil registration in the state.
He also urged the media to continue to amplify the message “that every birth counts, every death matters and every Nigerian deserves a legal identity.”
“As we commence this new chapter, let us all work together to build a civil registration system that is modern, inclusive and trusted by all,” Ogiri concluded.
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