The Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Benjamin Kalu has assured Nigerians that the ongoing process for a constitutional review will bring the most desired true federalism in the country.
The deputy speaker stated this in Ikogosi-Ekiti on Saturday at the South-West Retreat for Speakers and Principal Officers of the State Houses of Assembly, with the theme ‘ Strengthening Democratic Governance at sub-national level’ which was sponsored by Policy and Legal Advocacy Centre (PLAC) and UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCRO).
Kalu, who is also the chairman of the Constitution Review Committee of the House, revealed that the House of Representatives has received 161 proposals bordering on amendments to the constitution, which according to him will take effect from January 2025.
He harped on the effective collaboration between the National Assembly and state houses of assembly, saying both are the fundamental body to facilitate the successful constitutional review.
According to him, “In the amendment of the constitution, there is a process that the constitution abides with and one of them is the participation of the state legislation.
“You cannot amend the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria without the involvement of the state legislation. They occupy the cardinal, fundamental position in the structure of the amendment of the Constitution.
“This visit is to strengthen our relationship. A constitution review is being done and brought back to the legislators.
“We are here today to see the southwest caucus of the House of Assembly to intimate them on the process and how far we have gone in our efforts to have a constitution review by December 2025.
“161 proposals have been gotten from the memorandum given out to the public. Federalism will be the decision of Nigerians based on submission by them when we call for documents.
“We are working on what Nigerians said should be included in the new constitution. We will get our information from the Town Hall meeting we will commence by January 2025, people will be incorporated.”
Speaking, the Ekiti State Speaker, House of Assembly and Chairman, Southwest caucus, Adeoye Aribasoye commended the National Assembly for collaborating with the region, stressing that such intimacy will foster unity and bring success in the process of constitutional review.
He added that the retreat was necessitated to foster cooperation in the southwest region towards ensuring that peer review and synergy strive in the lawmaking process.
“You can’t have a constitutional amendment without the input of state legislation, which is the two-thirds majority of the state house of Assembly, they have to agree before you can have a successful amendment in the constitution.
“The Current National Assembly has been very fair in ensuring that all stakeholders are carried along including the Houses of Assembly. No nation can strive without good laws and laws are made by the legislative arms of the government.
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“This retreat is to enrich our understanding and foster cooperation among the sub-nationals particularly, the southwest and ensure that we have peer review and synergy and good understanding of lawmaking,” Aribasoye said.
The Governor of Ekiti State, Biodun Oyebanji, represented by Secretary to the State Government, Dr Habitat Adubiaro, commended the southwest caucus for being at the front burner of human development in the region.
He also hailed Aribasoye for his remarkable leadership policies which have brought creativity, and vibrance to the Ekiti State House of Assembly, making it the most innovative and ICT-driven House of Assembly in the country.
The former governor of Ekiti State, Dr Kayode Fayemi tasked the legislators to see politics as a call to service and not a money-making venture to the detriment of the people they are representing.
Fayemi said, “The principal officers in our various Houses of Assembly in the southwest have come together with engagement with experts to really see how they can deepen the governance process.
“That’s why I joined them to talk about executive-legislative collaboration ultimately, what is important is for us to recognize politics as service not politics as business.
“We are in this for the public good and if the public finds us inadequate, the onus is on the legislators to improve the quality of service being rendered to the people.”
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