Lawmakers urge Nigerians to seize the opportunity to shape reforms as 86 amendment bills await deliberation
The House of Representatives has announced that a national public hearing on the review of Nigeria’s 1999 Constitution will now be held on September 22 in Abuja, with lawmakers calling on citizens to take full advantage of the platform to influence the country’s future.
The public hearing, initially scheduled for July 21, was postponed following the death of former President Muhammadu Buhari. With the new date set, members of the House say the session is crucial to consolidating the views of Nigerians ahead of the decisive legislative stage of the constitutional amendment process.
House spokesperson Akin Rotimi, in a statement on Friday, emphasized the importance of citizen involvement, describing the event as a “national forum that underscores the House’s commitment to inclusive and participatory governance.” He noted that the hearing provides Nigerians with a direct opportunity to shape reforms that could alter the foundations of the nation’s governance structure.
A total of 86 amendment bills have been lined up for discussion during the process. To enable broad participation, the House has made the compendium of bills, along with explanatory notes, accessible online through the link bit.ly/HCCRCompendium. This initiative, lawmakers say, is designed to give the public a clear understanding of the proposed changes and help guide their contributions effectively.
Deputy Speaker Benjamin Kalu, who also chairs the Constitution Review Committee, stressed that the 1999 Constitution must reflect the aspirations of Nigerians. “This document belongs to the people,” he said, urging citizens and stakeholders to engage actively with the process. “Your voices matter. Only through your contributions can we achieve a truly participatory and people-driven constitutional review.”
The House had earlier organized a regional public hearing in July to capture perspectives from different parts of the country. The upcoming national session will serve as a consolidation of those inputs before the legislative chambers take their votes.
According to the schedule, voting on the constitution review bills will take place on October 14 in both the Senate and the House of Representatives. If approved by two-thirds of lawmakers in each chamber, the amendments will be transmitted to the 36 state assemblies by October 30 for concurrence, in line with constitutional requirements.
For any amendment to sail through, it must secure the endorsement of two-thirds of the state assemblies after clearing the National Assembly. Lawmakers have described this timeline as tight but achievable, provided Nigerians seize the opportunity to engage actively in the process.
The renewed push for constitutional reform comes against the backdrop of long-standing calls to amend the 1999 Constitution, which many argue does not adequately reflect the true aspirations of the people. With 86 bills on the table, ranging across governance, political structure, and institutional reforms, the upcoming hearing is seen as a defining moment for Nigeria’s democratic journey.
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