News Investigators/ The Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives and the Chairman, Benjamin Kalu says the Legislature must deliver to Nigerians, a Constitution that empowers Local Governments to deliver services and strengthens fiscal federalism.
In a statement on Friday, Mr Kalu who is the Chairman, House Committee on the Review of the Constitution said that Nigerians yearn for a grand norm that streamlines electoral justice, guarantees women’s full participation in governance and enhances accountability at all levels.
He said that the committee had assembled a distinguished panel of constitutional lawyers, scholars and policy analysts to guide deliberations, provide comparative perspectives and help navigate complex legal and political terrain.
Mr Kalu said that as legislators, though they represented different constituencies, parties, and ideologies, they must speak with one voice on constitutional reform.
According to him, the amendments we propose must command broad, bipartisan support if they are to succeed and we must focus on what unites us, not what divides us.
“Constitutional amendments are not ordinary bills. They require meticulous drafting, rigorous scrutiny and careful sequencing.
“We must resist the temptation to overload the amendment agenda with contentious or politically divisive proposals.
“Our focus must be on achievable, high-impact reforms that enjoy widespread public support.
“Every decision we make here must be guided by one question: What is best for Nigeria?. And not what is best for our party, our region, or our personal ambitions, but what is best for the more than 200 million Nigerians we were elected to serve,” he said.
The deputy speaker explained that Constitution is the social contract that binds citizens together as a people.
He tasked all stakeholders on clear, actionable roadmap for constitutional reform: one that empowers local governments, guarantees women’s representation, strengthens electoral integrity and deepens our federal democracy.
NAN
