Constitution Review Committee assures Nigerians of transparency

From Femi Oyelola, Kaduna

Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Ovie Omo-Agege has said Constitution Review Committee, will be transparent in its assigned duty, saying despite diverses and different views on the themes of the exercise. the focus of committee is to manage the review exercise in a fair, inclusive, credible, and transparent manner.
Omo-Agege made the assertion during the opening ceremony of Northwest zonal public hearing on the proposed alteration to the provision of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria eld in kaduna yesterday.
The Deputy Senate President who was represented by the the Senator representing Kano South constituency. Senator Kabiru Gaya,said the proposals for the alteration of 1999 Constitution is holding simultaneously across all the six geopolitical zones of our the Country.
Omo-Agege who is also the chairman of the Senate Committee on the review of the 1999 Constitution Said, the reason for zonal hearing is coming before the National public hearing is mainly to adopt a bottom-top approach by first listening to Nigerians at the geo-political level.
He disclosed that, the approach underscores the critical importance the Constitution Review committee places on the subnational levels of governance in Nigeria. “Surely, and without a doubt, the success of the Committee’s review process will be dependent on your beneficent support and partnership. You are indeed the pillar on which the Committee’s work is to be anchored”.
Omo-Agege mentioned that, at the commencement of this 9th Senate, a legislative agenda on the need to address, by way of constitutional amendments, topical issues like Judicial and Electoral Reforms, Local Government Autonomy, and devolution of powers was set.
“You will agree with me that if we get those items through constitutional processes of alteration successfully then our constitutional democracy will be set on the right pedestal and ultimately, Nigeria will take its pride of place among the enviable constitutional democracies in the World”.
“As a living document, the Constitution, and to a large extent, our constitutional democracy needs to be reviewed from time to time. Indeed, this ongoing review provides a platform for the good people of Nigeria to express their opinions on the fundamental law that governs our lives through proposals that will lead to the highest good for the greatest number of our people”. he said.