Let’s Enhance Stability of Nigeria, Lawan Urges Senate

Inaugurates Senate constitution review committee

Deji Elumoye in Abuja

The President of the Senate, Dr. Ahmad Lawan, Thursday inaugurated a 56-man Constitution Review Committee, telling them to be mindful of the desire of Nigerians for a stable country that would secure their prosperity and future.

Speaking while inaugurating the committee headed by the Deputy Senate President, Senator Ovie Omo-Agege, he reminded the members to put the nation’s interest before theirs in carrying out the review of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended).
According to him, “Nigerians definitely have interest in the constitution review the National Assembly has embarked upon and for those issues that Nigerians feel very strongly about, the constitution review committee should be a platform where such issues could be brought.”

He tasked the committee to engage all stakeholders in the task saying: “You will engage not only members of the National Assembly and other statutory bodies like INEC but also civil society groups”.

Lawan further stressed: “The National Assembly, particularly the Senate, wants Nigeria to remain a stable 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.

“Stability of the polity is important. We want to have a country before we run for elections or indeed undertake any activity. We advise that any organization or individual that has anything he or she feels should be taken by this electoral review committee should submit to the constitution review committee”.

The only Young Progressive Party (YPP) senator in the National Assembly, Senator Ifeanyi Uba (YPP Anambra South), however, kicked against his exclusion from the committee, saying the committee membership were drawn from the two main political parties – APC and PDP, which to him, was unfair.

Responding, Lawan said the committee composition was not based on party membership but on states and zonal basis.

Said he: “This composition is not about party affiliation but of equal representation from states and geopolitical zones, since the assignment before the committee is for the interest of Nigeria and Nigerians devoid of partisanship”.

The constitution review committee, which is to handle all bills seeking for one alteration or the other in the provisions of the 1999 Constitution consists of eight principal officers, who are to serve as steering committee within the larger committee, one senator from each of the 36 states of the federation and two senators from each of the six geo-political zones.

Members of the committee include Deputy Senate Leader, Professor Ajayi Boroffice, Minority Leader, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe; Deputy Minority Leader, Senator Emmanuel Bwacha; Minority Whip, Senator Philip Tanimu Aduda and Deputy Minority Whip, Senator Sahabi Yau’.
Membership of the committee per State , are Senators Theodore Orji (PDP Abia Central), Aishatu Ahmed (APC Adamawa Central), Stella Oduah (PDP Anambra North), Albert Akpan (PDP Akwa Ibom North East) and Dauda Jika (APC Bauchi Central).

Others are Senators Degi Eremienyo (APC Bayelsa East), Gabriel Suswam (PDP Benue North East), Abubakar Kyari (APC Borno North), Gershom Bassey (PDP Cross River South), James Manager (PDP Delta South), Sam Egwu (PDP Ebonyi North), Mathew Urhoghide (PDP Edo South) and Bamidele Opeyemi (APC Ekiti Central).

Other states representatives include former Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu (PDP Enugu West), Danjuma Goje (APC Gombe Central), Rochas Okorocha (APC Imo West), Muhammad Sabo (APC Jigawa South West), Uba Sani (APC Kaduna Central), Kabiru Gaya (APC Kano South) and Ahmed Kaita (APC Katsina North).

Others are Senators Mohammed Adamu Aliero (APC Kebbi Central), Smart Adeyemi (APC Kogi West), Sadiq Umar (APC Kwara North), Oluremi Tinubu (APC Lagos Central), Abdullahi Adamu (Nasarawa West), Sani Musa (APC Niger East), Ibikunle Amosun (APC Ogun Central), Nicholas Tofowomo (PDP Ondo South), Bashiru Ajibola (APC Osun Central) and Teslim Folarin (APC Oyo Central).

Also on the list are Senators Dimka Hezekiah Ayuba (APC Plateau Central), George Sekibo (PDP Rivers East), Aliyu Wammako (APC Sokoto North), Abubakar Yusuf (APC Taraba Central), Ibrahim Gaidam (APC Yobe East) and Mohammed Hassan Gusau (PDP Zamfara Central).

The zonal representatives are Senators Bala Na’Allah (APC Kebbi South) and Ibrahim Shekarau (APC Kano Central ) for the North-west geopolitical zone; for the North-east geopolitical zone are Senators Kashim Shettima (APC Borno Central) and Lawal Gumau (APC Bauchi South) and Senators Lilian Ekwunife (PDP Anambra Central) and Chukwuka Utazi (PDP Enugu North), are to represent the South-east geopolitical zone on the committee.

Others are Senators Eyinkenyi Etim (PDP Akwa Ibom South) and Rose Oko (PDP Cross River North) are for South-south zone on the committee, Abdulfatahi Buhari (APC Oyo North) and Biodun Olujimi (PDP Ekiti South) are for South-west geopolitical zone while representing the North Central geopolitical zone are Senators Tanko Al-Makura (APC Nasarawa North) and Yakubu Oseni (APC Kogi Central).