Gombe State Governor, Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya, has thrown his weight behind Nigeria’s ongoing Constitution Review exercise, describing it as vital for fostering inclusive, people-centered governance.
Governor Yahaya stated this while declaring open the North-East Zone ‘A’ Public Hearing on the review of the 1999 Constitution, held at the International Conference Centre, Gombe.
The hearing drew participants from Gombe, Bauchi, and Taraba States to deliberate on constitutional amendments aimed at strengthening democracy and national development.
“The constitution is a living document one that must be constantly updated to reflect the evolving needs and aspirations of our people,” Yahaya said.
Reviewing Nigeria’s constitutional journey from the 1914 Amalgamation to the current 1999 Constitution, Yahaya noted that despite amendments in 2010, 2011, 2017, and 2023, critical issues such as federalism, local governance, fiscal decentralization, and fundamental human rights remain unresolved.
He urged the Constitutional Review Committee to focus on reforms that promote political stability through equitable representation and devolution of powers; drive economic prosperity through fiscal federalism and resource control; and ensure social justice by safeguarding gender equity and the rights of marginalized groups.
The governor expressed confidence that the Gombe State Government’s submissions, presented by the Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Barrister Zubair Umar, would be considered in the national interest. He also called for active participation from traditional rulers, civil society organizations, legal experts, youth, and women’s groups.
Also speaking, Chairman of the House Committee on Constitutional Review for North-East Zone ‘A’ and Chief Whip of the House of Representatives, Usman Bello Kumo, said the exercise was mandated under Section 62 of the Constitution to ensure the nation’s supreme law remains inclusive and people-driven.
“In the House of Representatives, our Standing Orders empower us to periodically engage the public to keep the constitution a truly people-oriented document,” Kumo said, assuring participants of fairness and equity in handling submissions. He commended Governor Yahaya’s leadership, noting his impactful projects in Gombe State.
Former Bauchi State Governor and consultant to the House Committee, Mohammed Abdullahi Abubakar, SAN, described the review as an opportunity for robust dialogue between citizens and the National Assembly.
He unveiled a compendium of proposed constitutional amendments covering electoral reforms, judicial reforms, legislative changes, inclusive governance, security, devolution of powers, fiscal reforms, citizenship and indigene ship, fundamental rights, and local government autonomy.
Key proposals include conducting all general elections on a single day, empowering INEC or a new commission to oversee local government elections, establishing a separate body to regulate political parties, and creating an Electoral Offences Commission.
Other suggested reforms seek to limit election-related appeals to the Court of Appeal except for presidential disputes, empower legislative clerks to inaugurate parliaments, reserve special legislative seats for women, create state police, and integrate traditional institutions into governance.
The hearing, as observed by WorldClass247News, also featured the presentation of memoranda from various groups advocating state and local government creation, constituency adjustments, and sector-specific reforms.