BY AMOS DUNIA, ABUJA – The leadership of the Senate on Thursday announced the membership of a 56-man Steering and Constitution Review Committee that is expected to work on amending the 1999 Constitution.
President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan while announcing the membership of the Constitution Review Committee, said that stability of the polity is important, stressing that politicians, particularly public office holders need to have a country before they can run for elections, or indeed undertake any activity.
The membership of the powerful committee which was announced shortly after the day’s plenary commenced, showed that all Principal Officers of the Senate are members with one Senator from each State of the Federation just as two Senators were picked to represent each geo-political zone of the country.
The Principal Officers on the Constitution Review Committee include, the Deputy Senate President, Ovie Omo-Agege as Chairman, Senate Leader – Yahaya Abdullahi, Deputy Leader – Ajayi Boroffice, Minority Leader – Enyinnaya Abaribe; Deputy Whip – Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi, Deputy Minority Leader – Emmanuel Bwacha, Minority Whip – Philip Aduda and Deputy Minority Whip – Sahabi Alhaji Ya’u.
Senators that were selected to represent each State include, Theordore Orji – Abia; Aishat Ahmed – Adamawa, Bassey Akpan – Akwa-Ibom, Stella Oduah – Anambra, Haliru Jika Dauda – Bauchi, Biobarukuma Deji-Eremenyo – Bayelsa, Gabriel Suswam – Benue, Abubakar Kyari – Borno, Gershom Bassey – Cross River, James Manager – Delta, Samuel Egwu – Ebonyi, Matthew Urhoghide – Edo, Opeyemi Bamidele – Ekiti, Ike Ekweremadu – Enugu, and Mohammed Danjuma Goje – Gombe.
The list include, Rochas Okorocha – Imo, Sabo Mohammed – Jigawa, Uba Sani – Kaduna, Kabiru Gaya – Kano, Baba Ahmed Kaita – Katsina, Mohammed Adamu Aliero – Kebbi, Smart Adeyemi –Kogi, Suleiman Sadiq Umar – Kwara, Oluremi Tinubu – Lagos, Abdullahi Adamu – Nasarawa, Mohammed Sani Musa – Niger, Ibikunle Amosun – Ogun, Nicholas Olubukola – Ondo, Surajudeen Ajibola – Osun, Teslim Folarin – Oyo, Hezekiah Ayuba – Plateau, George Thompson Sekibo – Rivers, Aliyu Wamakko – Sokoto, Yusuf A. Yusuf – Taraba, Ibrahim Geidam – Yobe and Mohammed Hassan – Zamfara.
Those selected to represent the six geo-political zones are, Bala Ibn Na’Allah and Ibrahim Shekarau – North-West, Kashim Shettima and Lawal Yahaya – North-East, Tanko Al-Makura and Yakubu Oseni – North-Central, Abdulfatai Buhari and Biodun Olujimi – South-West, Lilian Uche Ekwunife and Chukwuka Utazi – South-East as well as Rose Oko and Akon Eyakenyi for the South-South.
While announcing the membership of the Committee, President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan advised members of the committee to represent the Senate and the entire National Assembly, even as he said that the House of Representatives will also constitute its own Constitution Review Committee.
Lawan further said; “Distinguished Senators, who are not members can still participate by giving any submission, and any advice they feel strongly about for this committee to succeed.
“As for the activities of the committee, you will engage not only members of the National Assembly, and other statutory bodies like INEC, Civil Society groups, but Nigerians are interested in the way and manner we do our duties here.
“Nigerians definitely have interest in the Constitution Review that the National Assembly will embark upon. There are several issues that Nigerians feel strongly about.
“The Constitution Review Committee is supposed to be a platform where such issues will be brought, and where those who are interested should ensure that they make every possible effort, including presentations for their views to be considered.
“As a National Assembly, particularly the Senate, we want to have a very stable country. We want a country that gives every citizen the opportunity to actualize his or her dream. We want to have a security that is enhanced and an economy that works for everyone.
“So, we advise that any organization or individual who has anything that should be taken on by the committee should make submissions to the Constitution Review Committee,” Lawan said.
