Defined roles for traditional rulers in Nigeria constitution and devolution of power have emerged as parts of the items to be considered by the House of Representatives as it moves to amend the 1999 constitution.
This hint was dropped yesterday, February 26, by the Speaker, Abbas Tajudeen when he
inaugurated the House Committee on the Review of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (As Altered).
Speaker Abbas said that the Sixth Alteration to the constitution under this 10th National Assembly would be the most comprehensive.
“As such, the task before the Constitution Review Committee is profound.

“The House Agenda is ambitious in its scope and encompasses wide-ranging issues pivotal to our national growth.
“Among these are devolution of powers, including state policing; enhancement of fiscal federalism through local government autonomy; further decongesting the Exclusive Legislative List; recognising and assigning constitutional roles for traditional institutions; and promoting inclusivity, particularly greater gender equity and women representation into appointive and elective positions.
“Other critical areas for your consideration include implementing comprehensive electoral reforms to address the gaps identified in the aftermath of the 2023 general elections; strengthening the enforceability of legislative instruments; and institutional strengthening for greater accountability, among others.
“These areas are crucial for reinforcing our democracy and ensuring that the governance structure meets the needs and aspirations of all Nigerians. Several Bills have already been introduced in both the Senate and the House, touching on some of these very important issues.”
The Speaker suggested that in making recommendations and proposals that potentially have far-reaching impacts, such as state police, the House should adopt a scientific approach grounded in empirical evidence rather than ideology, personal beliefs, or political expediency.
Speaker Abbas pointed out that the methodology to be adopted by the Committee would emphasise inclusivity, transparency, and collaboration.
He said that the House would work closely with the Executive arm of the governments, both at the federal and sub-national levels, adding that this partnership stemmed from recognising their pivotal role in governance, ensuring that the review process is comprehensive and considers the practical aspects of implementation.
The Speaker said that the 1999 Constitution, as the supreme law of the land, has been the groundnorm of our democracy for over two decades.
“Yet, like any great edifice, it requires periodic assessment and renovation to ensure it meets the changing needs and aspirations of our people.”
He recalled that under the 9th Assembly, the Fifth Alteration made some of the most far-reaching amendments, as it clarified and reinforced financial autonomy for state Houses of Assembly and the Judiciary, decongested the Executive List, defined guidelines for the first session and inauguration of members-elect of the National and state Houses of Assembly and deleted reference to the provisions of the Criminal Code, Penal Code, Criminal Procedure Act, Criminal Procedure Code or Evidence Act, among others.
“All these made the Fifth Alteration the most extensive since 1999.”
Deputy Speaker of the House, Benjamin Okezie Kalu is the chairman of the Committee and the House Majority Leader, Professor Julius Ihonvbere, is deputy chairman.
The Committee has six additional women, one from each of the six geo-political zones. The House’s zonal caucus leaders have been co-opted in an advisory capacity, to advise the Committee on issues relating to their respective zones.
The Committee’s secretariat is made up of a representative of people living with disabilities to ensure that their concerns are properly accommodated. The mandate of the Committee is to receive and consider proposals for alteration of the 1999 Constitution (as amended); create a forum for stakeholders and the public to make inputs into the review process and collaborate with the Senate and the state Houses of Assembly as required by law.
Speaker Abbas said that Legislative Agenda of the House identified streamlining and improving the constitutional reform process as a cardinal objective.
“In this regard, the House is already working on a Constitution Alteration Procedure Bill to provide a framework and a timeline for the passage of Constitution alteration bills by the National Assembly and adoption by State Houses of Assembly. The early commencement of constitution review activities by the 10th House is yet another step towards actualising our Agenda.”

Hon. Eseme Eyiboh, Special Adviser on Media and Publicity to the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, has made it clear that his boss did not mean to hurt state Governors against the background of his recent comment on N30 Billion federal allocation to them.
In a statement today, February 26, Eyiboh described the development as “misconceptions” of the true intention of the Senate President in the public domain.
Referring to the statement credited to the President of the Senate in plenary, of Wednesday, February 21, 2024, during the presentation of a report of the joint Committees on Finance, Agriculture/Food Sufficiency, Banking and Insurance, the spokesperson recalled that during the session, the President of the Senate commented on the payment of an unverified cumulative sum of about N30 Billion to the sub-national governments by the Federal Government for various interventions, to ameliorate the food situation of the citizens at the sub-national governments.
“The unfortunate conjectures to take away the kernel in the material facts of FAAC payment are rather regretted. In considering the well-intended motive of urging state governments to collaborate with the Federal government of President Bola Tinubu to facilitate strategic interventions to mitigate the prevailing economic situation in the country remains the underpinning motivation in the comment.”
Eyiboh stressed that Senator Akpabio is not oblivious to the fact that State governments are functional partners in all the efforts of the current administration of President Tinubu and are also valuable Stakeholders’ in the various legislative engagements of the legislature in creating the nexus between the legislature and the people.
According to him, the Senate President has always demonstrated commitment to team building and would not do less in the circumstance.
“He therefore urges the sub-national governments not to be distracted by any misunderstanding of the context and true meaning of the statement.
“The President of the Senate recognizes and appreciates the current efforts of the governors at ameliorating the adverse effects of the current inclement socio-economic environment and therefore invites more hands on the plow to complement the renewed hope agenda.”

“Let’s look at what we’re doing right and what we’re doing wrong to bring life back to the economy.
“As I have said many times, the people of this country are only the people we have to please.
“And we are very much concerned from students to mothers and fathers, farmers, the traders and realising that everyone of us will have to fetch water from the same well. We’re looking for additional efforts that might help the downtrodden Nigerians and we will provide hope and reassurance that economic recovery is on its way.
“We are not saying that we have all the answers. But we will not be blamed for not trying. We assure Nigerians that we will do our best to get our marshal plan in place and fashion out the best economic future for this country.”
President Bola Tinubu made this position known when he Constituted an Economic Advisory Committee (EAC), that is made up of the federal government, sub-nationals and the private sector.
This came during a meeting the President held with key stakeholders at the presidential in Abuja, yesterday evening, February 26.
The development came as the falling naira exchange rate, rising inflation and other economic headwinds have continued to worsen the cost of living crisis and threatening the stability of the country
Some of the prominent members of the private sector that made the list include the Chairman of United Bank for Africa (UBA), Tony Elumelu and the Chairman of Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote.
President Tinubu told the advisors that the goal is to provide additional efforts in stabilising the economy and ensuring the “best economic future for Nigerians.”

At the meeting, Tinubu discussed food security, job creation and the exchange rate.
Dangote, who was part of the private sector delegation on the committee, said that the meeting would afford the stakeholders the opportunity to clarify the specifics of their roles in President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
“I think we had a very good meeting. What we discussed is generally about the economy, food security and security of the nation. We discussed everything in detail.
“The economic presidential advisory committee which has been set up…will look at all the issues and address them, coming from job creation and food security.
“So, all these things have been discussed in detail. I can’t give you all the details right now, but we are hopeful and we’re a great nation. We have what it takes to turn around the economy and we’re going to do that.”
This is even as Tony Elumelu said that implementing the decisions made at the meeting would propel the nation’s economy and help alleviate the poverty in the land, as well as helping to create employment and put food on the table of Nigerians.
Also, the Chairman of the BUA Group, Abdul Samad Rabiu, said that the committee held frank and exhaustive discussions with the President on the foreign exchange rate.
Citing the recent volatility of the naira against the dollar, Rabiu said: “We discussed on how to bring the foreign exchange rate down because we all know that what is happening as regards the foreign exchange is artificial. It is manipulative and thank God the CBN is doing quite a lot.”

A major fire outbreak has burnt to ashes, the private residence of the Minister of State for the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Dr. Mariya Mahmoud.
Information reaching us at Greenbarge Reporters online newspaper and hardcopy magazine said that the outbreak, whose cause is yet to be ascertained, occured today, February 25 in the Minister’s Asokoro residence.
Firefighters reportedly failed to respond to the incident early enough, thereby worsening the situation. No casualties reported.
Though no official statement has been released, but Media Aide to the minister, Austine Elemue, confirmed the incident but did not give details.

Two wanted armed bandit commanders, whose names were given as Baldo and Baban Yara, together with scores of their foot soldiers, have been gunned down by Nigerian soldiers in what has been described as “deadly battle.”
The warlords were said to be behind the coordination of movement and exchange of kidnapped victims within camps in the Zamfara/Katsina axis.
A defence intelligence source confirmed that the terrorists were killed yesterday, February 25, along the Zamfara/Katsina axis.
“Our troops engaged the terrorists at Aliero West axis and succeeded in killing the two bandit kingpins and 28 of their foot soldiers.
“Lately, our troops have intensified their aggressive operation in the North West and are pounding terrorists heavily.
“We want to rid the region of criminal elements so that farmers can carry out their agricultural activities without delay.”
A source hinted that the operation was swift as no terrorists sighted were spared by the soldiers.
“The military worked on the intelligence in ambushing and eliminating the warlords and their followers mostly riding on motorcycles.
“If this operation is sustained, our farmers will surely return to the farms while, hopefully, we will have a peaceful Ramadan period of fasting, which is just around the corner.”
Source: PRNigeria