The House of Representatives Constitution Review Committee, on Wednesday set December 2025 as the target day to deliver a new constitution for the country.
Rep. Benjamin Kalu, the House of Representatives’ Deputy Speaker and the Committee’s Chairman, said this at their pre-inaugural meeting in Abuja.
Kalu said the committee would set up a realistic time, specifically December 2025, to complete the committee’s activities.
He said that the review would be the sixth time that the National Assembly would embark on the amendment of the nation’s constitution.
He said the committee was aware of the challenges of insecurity and economic difficulties confronting it, adding that since 2010, NASS had made landmark changes to the constitution since the military regime in 1999.
He listed some of the amendments made to include judicial reform, electoral reforms and moving certain responsibilities of government from the exclusive to the constituent list.
Kalu said that in the last amendment, some reviews were not passed, such as additional seats for women to be in the National Assembly and diaspora voting, among others.
He added that such would be reintroduced in the current review committee, saying, “We hope we will get it right this time.”
He urged the proponents of those laws to commence timely advocacy to get the matter right, adding that there was a need to constantly revisit the nation’s constitution considering the nature of the country.
Kalu said that the committee was aware of Nigerians’ eagerness to conclude the review in record time, adding that the committee would be open to other areas of review to ensure a viable constitutional democracy.
He urged members of the committee to prepare to work hard and deliver on citizen expectations, while encouraging members to bring forth bills on issues affecting their constituencies and national interests.
According to NAN, the date for the inauguration of the committee has been fixed for Feb. 26.
