Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Benjamin Kalu, has stressed the need for a constitution that strengthens Nigeria’s democracy.
Kalu made this known during a consultative meeting with national chairmen, secretaries, and women leaders of registered political parties in Abuja on Monday, the 6th of October, 2025.
As Chairman of the House Committee on Constitution Review, Kalu said that while Nigeria has made progress in its democratic journey since 1999, the system must go beyond theory to serve citizens in real terms.
The 10th House of Representatives, led by Speaker Tajudeen Abbas, in partnership with the Senate, is currently reviewing sections of the 1999 Constitution to improve governance and make democracy more effective.
In recent weeks, Kalu’s committee toured the six geo-political zones, engaging with stakeholders on key reform areas, including power devolution, independent candidacy, local government autonomy, state police, and special seats for women.
According to the committee, a draft of the reviewed constitution will be ready for submission to the National Assembly by December 2025.
Kalu urged political party leaders to carefully study the proposed bills and contribute meaningful suggestions to guide the committee’s work.
READ ALSO: Political Elites Backing Boko Haram to Undermine Tinubu — Kalu
“We need a constitution that does not just permit democracy, but actively enables it. Here, we are considering bills that seek to streamline our electoral process, reducing the endless litigation that undermines the will of the people.
“These are not abstract legal propositions. These are reforms that go to the heart of what it means to be a democracy. And they require your input. Twenty-six years ago, Nigeria returned to democratic governance under the 1999 Constitution. It was a moment of great expectation.
“After decades of military rule, we dared to believe that a new era of freedom, justice, and prosperity was finally within reach. The Constitution we adopted was meant to be the bedrock of a new Nigeria, a Nigeria where power belonged to the people, where rights were guaranteed, and where institutions served the common good,” he said.