The Senate Tuesday postponed the scheduled zonal public hearing on constitutional review for the North-West geo – political zone in honour of the late elder statesman and philanthropist, Aminu Dantata, who passed away recently in Dubai.
Senate President Godswill Akpabio who made announcement to this effect during plenary, described the late Dantata as a highly revered figure whose contributions to national development merited recognition.
He said: “In view of the demise of a very prominent philanthropist and stakeholder, late Alhaji Aminu Dantata, whose burial is about now in Saudi Arabia, we resolve to observe one minute’s silence in his honour and postpone zonal public hearing on constitution review slated for Kano this coming Friday.
“The decision to postpone the hearing was reached in consultation with stakeholders in the region and would allow for a more appropriate time for the North-West conference.
“We also resolve to postpone the Zonal Constitutional Conference of the North-West to a date to be mutually agreed between the stakeholders of the North-West as soon as the Deputy Senate President is back from Saudi Arabia”.
Paying tribute to the deceased, the Senate President said, “We hope that we can rise to observe one minute’s silence, in honour of the late Aminu Dantata, who passed on to paradise a few days ago. May the soul of Alhaji Aminu Dantata rest in heavenly peace.”
Despite the postponement in the North-West zone, the Senate is proceeding with a comprehensive two-day zonal public hearing on proposed amendments to the 1999 Constitution, scheduled for July 4 and 5, 2025.
The hearings will take place simultaneously across five other geopolitical zones — Lagos (South West), Enugu (South East), Ikot Ekpene (South South), Jos (North Central), and Maiduguri (North East).
According to Barau, the hearings are designed to give Nigerians an opportunity to contribute meaningfully to the ongoing process of constitutional reform.
“The zonal public hearings are designed to enable Nigerians across the country to contribute meaningfully to the ongoing process of constitutional amendment,” he stated.
Key issues on the table include the long-standing demand for local government autonomy. A proposed bill seeks to enshrine local government councils as a full tier of government with guaranteed democratic existence and tenure. Complementing this is a bill proposing the creation of a National Local Government Electoral Commission (NALGEC) to oversee local council elections across Nigeria.
“These bills aim to insulate local governments from state interference and ensure they deliver on their mandate of grassroots governance,” Barau said.
Another major highlight of the constitutional amendment agenda is internal security reform. The committee is considering bills for the establishment of state police and a state security council to enhance security coordination at the sub-national level.
On fiscal governance, six bills are up for discussion, including one to empower the Revenue Mobilisation, Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC) to ensure compliance with remittance obligations, and another proposing deadlines for presidents and governors to submit annual budgets, aiming to curb persistent delays in Nigeria’s budgeting process.
The review will also feature a bill targeted at gender inclusion by creating additional legislative seats for women in both the National and State Assemblies.