The two-day zonal hearing is scheduled for July 4–5 in six geopolitical locations. Various interest groups around the nation have submitted 18 petitions for the development of extra local government regions and 31 recommendations for the creation of new states to the Senate Committee on Constitution Review (CRC). This was revealed by Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele's media office in a statement on Thursday.
Before the zonal public hearings on the constitution review, which are set for July 4–5, the statement provided an overview of the committee's agenda.
Six geopolitical zones will host the hearings concurrently, with one city chosen as the host in each zone.
The hearing will be held in the South-East zone in Enugu State, the South-West in Ikot Ekpene in Akwa Ibom State, the North-Central in Jos, the North-East in Maiduguri, and the North-West in Kano State.
In remembrance of the late elder statesman and business titan Aminu Dantata, the North-West hearing was postponed.
Senior Senate legislators will oversee the hearings.
Senate leaders will be assigned to oversee each geopolitical zone. The South-West will be coordinated by Mr. Bamidele, the South-East by Deputy Chief Whip Peter Nwebonyi, and the South-South zone by Senate President Godswill Akpabio.
Other members include Senator Barau Jibrin (North-west), Chief Whip Tahir Monguno (North-east), and Deputy Senate Leader Oyelola Ashiru (North-central).
The committee is anticipated to discuss a number of national topics at the hearing, including the establishment of new states, state police, gender equality, local government autonomy, electoral and judicial reforms, inclusive governance, and more.
Dissection of proposals for state and LGA establishment
Six requests came from the North-West, eight from the North-Central, five from the South-East, six from the North-East, six from the South-South, and four from the South-West, according to Mr. Bamidele, who broke down the suggestions for the creation of new states.
He added that a few well-known Abuja stakeholders had filed a request to recognize the Federal Capital Territory as a state.
The committee received 31 proposals for the creation of additional states, including six from the North-West, eight from the North-Central, five from the South-East, six from the South-South, and four from the South-West, even though there are 18 requests for local government areas nationwide.
According to the statement, "leading Federal Capital Territory stakeholders are vying for recognition as a subnational entity."
Mr. Bamidele reported that seven petitions for local government areas came from the North-West, five from the North-Central, one from the North-East, three from the South-South, one from the South-East, and one from the South-West.
The involved interest groups and legislators will review the suggestions.
Nigeria consists of Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory, and 36 states. The FCT is governed by an appointed minister and functions as a federal territory rather than a state.
There are currently 774 local government areas (LGAs) in Nigeria, which are separated into each state.
Reforms in security
The committee also heard proposals for the establishment of state police or other state government security organizations, Mr. Bamidele disclosed, in addition to the creation of states and LGAs.
"The bill that aims to amend the 1999 Constitution to allow for the creation of state police or other state government security agencies is one of the proposals," he said.
Another idea, he added, aims to create the State Security Council to counsel governors on issues pertaining to public safety and security.
As the number of armed robberies, intercommunal conflicts, and other security issues has grown over time, certain state governments and civil society organizations have called for localized policing.
During the administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan, a National Conference was held in 2014, and the attendees suggested the establishment of state police as a means of lowering insecurity.
Governors and other political leaders are putting more pressure on the establishment of state police due to the rise in banditry, kidnapping, and other terrorist actions.
Some areas have set up informal security groups, such as Amotekun in the South-West, Ebube Agu in the South-East, and Hisbah in the North-West, in the absence of an official governmental policing apparatus.
The need for a state police remains controversial among political leaders despite the security concerns. Some contended that in the absence of appropriate protocols, governors would use state police to intimidate political rivals, quell opposition, and restrict press freedom. However, others contended that state police is the most effective means of lowering insecurity.
Power devolution
The panel will also discuss a constitutional amendment that would move some issues from the Exclusive Legislative List to the Concurrent Legislative List, Mr. Bamidele said.
In particular, a bill that would give the federal and state governments the authority to enact laws about labor, shipping, and interstate waterways has been proposed.
According to him, a bill has been proposed to move control of interstate waterways from the Exclusive Legislative List to the Concurrent Legislative List. This would give the federal government and state governments the authority to enact laws about interstate waterway shipping and navigation.
In order to guarantee equity, fairness, and to draw democratic benefits to the residents of each local government in the state, the Senate leader also mentioned a proposal to guarantee that each local government in every state has at least one representative in the House of Assembly.
Reforms to the electoral process
In order to give millions of Nigerians living overseas the right to vote, he continued, the committee will take into account independent candidacy, which would enable people to run for office without having any membership in a political party, as well as diaspora voting.
Expanding political participation and bolstering democratic legitimacy were the goals of these reforms.
System of budgeting
Regarding governance, Mr. Bamidele stated that changes are being considered to shorten the period that allows withdrawals from the Consolidated Revenue Fund without an authorized budget from six to three months and to establish precise due dates for presidents and governors to submit yearly appropriation bills.
In order to increase states' financial sovereignty, he continued, the amendment also aims to update the derivation formula to incorporate revenues produced internally.
In addition, the suggestions shorten the time frame from six months to three months for the President or Governor to approve the withdrawal of funds from the Consolidated Revenue Fund in the absence of an Appropriations Act.
"By incorporating additional revenues produced in every state of the Federation, the proposals aim to update the derivation formula," he stated.
During the zonal public hearings, civil society organizations, community leaders, traditional institutions, and other stakeholders are anticipated to provide their perspectives on all of these suggestions.
Following the hearings, the committee will compile its findings, create suggestions, and start the amendment process.