Isaac Samuel
The House of Representatives will on Wednesday open debate on a wide-ranging set of constitution amendment bills as part of the ongoing review of the 1999 Constitution.
Deputy Speaker Benjamin Okezie Kalu, who chairs the House Committee on Constitution Review, announced at Tuesday’s plenary that lawmakers will devote Wednesday and Thursday to deliberations on the proposals, ahead of voting slated for December 10 and 11.
According to him, the debate marks a critical phase in the legislature’s efforts to update key aspects of the nation’s governance framework.
A total of 87 bills are currently before the House, covering far-reaching reforms across the electoral system, the judiciary, fiscal federalism and security architecture.
Some of the prominent proposals include the creation of additional seats for women in parliament, establishment of state police, creation of new states and local government areas, and granting full financial and administrative autonomy to local government councils.
