The National Assembly has entered the final stage of its ongoing constitution amendment process, with lawmakers expressing determination to deliver the first set of approved proposals to the State Houses of Assembly before the end of the year.
Deputy Senate President Barau Jibrin, who also serves as the Chairman of the Constitution Review Committee, said the exercise represents the culmination of two years of extensive engagements with Nigerians across all levels.
“It has been a long journey to bring the Senate and the House of Representatives’ Constitution Amendment proposals that cut across several sections and deal with different subject matters,” Barau said at the committee’s two-day retreat.
He explained that the process involved consultations with constituents, institutions, civil society organizations, and interest groups through town hall meetings, interactive sessions, and public hearings.
These engagements, he said, produced a comprehensive report comprising 69 amendment bills, 55 state creation requests, two boundary adjustment proposals, and 278 local government creation demands.
Barau urged committee members to approach the task with unity and patriotism, emphasizing that the focus should remain on the collective interest of Nigerians rather than regional or political divisions.
“We are seated here as one committee. There should be no ‘we’ and ‘them’; we should be guided by the interests of Nigerians,” he said. “It is not going to be a simple task to achieve within two days, but I believe we can do it, especially as we have promised Nigerians that we will deliver the first set of amendments to the State Houses of Assembly before the end of this year.”
He further expressed optimism that the committee’s deliberations would produce recommendations capable of meeting the approval threshold required under Section 9 of the Constitution.
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Efforts to amend Nigeria’s 1999 Constitution have often faced major challenges due to the complex approval process, which requires concurrence from at least two-thirds of the 36 state assemblies.
Past amendment attempts have been hindered by political disagreements, regional sentiments, and debates over issues such as resource control, devolution of powers, and state creation.
The Ninth National Assembly achieved partial success in its own effort, securing approval for bills on financial autonomy for state legislatures and the judiciary, while others — including those proposing state police and local government autonomy — failed to pass due to lack of consensus.
Political analysts say the ongoing review signals renewed political will, but warn that the vast number of proposals, particularly those concerning new states and local governments, could once again test the country’s unity and lawmakers’ ability to balance competing national interests with administrative practicality.