Technical experts consulted by the House of Representatives Committee on Constitution Review have said that they are committed to a thorough process that would produce a constitution aimed at advancing Nigeria’s democracy and improving the welfare of the citizenry.
The nine-man team of consultants made the pledge at a meeting with the Committee chaired by the deputy speaker of the House, Rt. Hon. Benjamin Okezie Kalu, on Tuesday in Abuja.
Members of the team include Mamman Mike Osuman, SAN; Professor Nuhu Mohammed Jamo; Chief Chris Uche, SAN; Mr. Seni Adio, SAN; Hon. Samson Osagie; Barr. Clement Nwankwo; Prof. Ezeilo Joy, and Prof. Ladi Hammalai.
A statement from the Chief Press Secretary (CPS) to the Deputy Speaker, Mr. Levinus Nwabughigu, on Wednesday, stated that Barrister Nwankwo was named the coordinating consultant of the team.
The consultants also received their letters of appointment from the House Committee which unveiled and shared its action plan with the team.
Urging them to study and make their input where necessary, the chairman of the Committee and Deputy Speaker Kalu reiterated the committee’s decision to conclude its work by December, 2025.
The team is principally mandated to develop a reasonable time-bound work-plan for the Committee’s activities in liaison with the Committee Secretariat; advise the committee on the methodology to adopt in carrying out consultations with stakeholders and interest groups and sieve out germane issues that may arise therefrom and develop reliable and appropriate data collection techniques for adoption by the committee; collate, study, analyse and asses all memoranda received from the public to bring out the issues raised in a structured manner and where applicable draft constitution amendment Bills for the Committee’s consideration.
They are also to analyse and present the data collected in a simple, concise and organised manner for the committee’s deliberations and consideration to assist in ultimately taking critical and informed decisions and conduct research on Bills/measures and policies referred to the Committee and advise on their viability and likely consequences on proposed alterations to the 1999 Constitution.
Other responsibilities were to advise the Committee to arrive at decisions that are fair to all and in accordance with the fundamental objectives and directive principles of state policy; attend all Committee meetings or events of the Committee as may be directed by the Committee or its chairman, and produce a comprehensive report in liaison with the Committee Secretariat for adoption by the Committee.
The coordinating consultant, Nwankwo, was also asked to liaise with his fellow consultants and the Senate to achieve coordinated work and seamless implementation of activities and any other duty as may be directed by the chairman/committee.
In his remarks, Kalu asked the consultants to see the engagement as a call to duty for national development, enjoining them to make sacrifices for the country.
He said: “You are also enjoined to consider this assignment as a call to duty and your contribution to national development.
“Like I stated when I started, it is not a commercial outing for the consultants because we know we may not be able to afford to pay for your services knowing your status in the society in the work that you do and how well or highly rated that you are. It’s a call to serve your fathers land that when it is mentioned that the constitution of the federal Republic of Nigeria was amended with better attention given to pertinent issues affecting Nigerians that you played a role in pointing the touch light to the right directions, drive away the darkness, various inconsistencies and bottlenecks in our constitution as it is at the moment hindering the advancement of our democracy. We welcome you on board because we know that you have a lot to add to the work we want to do.
“I have no doubt that with the calibre of people seated here who have announced themselves in their chose professions, success is certain. We did not choose you because of your efficient career path. We chose you because of what you represent, a Nigeria that is fair, equitable, a country that believes in democracy.
“I solicit for your optimal commitment and dedication to this all-important national call to duty. Write your names in gold with your contributions, sacrifice. Working for the nation, partnering with the parliament will come with a lot of challenges. The parliament will ask a lot of questions in the manner you conduct your duites, but I want to assure you, it is only for the interest of the nation that those questions will come.
“We may not, based on our resources and tax payers money, be able to make you very comfortable in the course of doing this job. Be ready to sacrifice. We know you can and that was why we chose you.”
In their responses, some the consultants, who spoke on behalf of the team, pledged their commitment towards actualising the mandate.
Chief Uche, SAN, said they will bring their legal experience to bear on the task.
“Mine is to on our behalf thank the chairman and members of this committee for finding us worthy to be entrusted with this very solemn assignment. And as you rightly observed, this is a call to national duty. It is indeed a privilege as well as an honour that requires patriotic responsibility. We want to assure you that we will study the work plan and we will try our very best and assure you that we will not let you down. This is a matter that concerns every Nigerian. We are operating a constitutional democracy and we have seen the hiccups and with our wealth of experience in constitutional engagement and practice, we are very certain that some of the things we have come across along the way, we will definitely bring them to bear on our work. So, we assure you, we will put in our best. We know it is not going to be easy but we will put in our best for you and our country,” he said.
Mr. Seni Adio, SAN, corroborated Uche’s position.
He said: “I echo what Chief Uche, SAN has said. It’s a distinct honor and privilege to have been asked to serve on this committee. I am looking forward to working with my colleagues to make sure that at the end of the day, the recommendations that we make will be well received by the citizenry.”
On his part, a former member of the House and one of the hired consultants, Hon. Samson Osagie, expressed gratitude to the committee for finding him worthy.
He, however, advised the committee to sufficiently sensitise the members of the parliament on the issues to enable them to vote favourably at the appropriate time.
Osagie said: “Let me thank you for this privilege to serve as a resource person for the onerous task before this committee. I want to say it is indeed an honour to have continued to serve in three consecutive sessions of the House of Representatives in this same capacity. I wish to say that this workplan is indeed robust. That can only be an indication of the seriousness of the leadership of this committee to come up with an encompassing product at the end of the day but suffice to say, with the benefit of hindsight, we also need to appeal to the committee and its members to pay very serious ad close attention to the work of this committee because at the end of the day, the consultants and the committee will do their job. The ultimate product of what comes will be the result of the voting on the floor of the parliament.
“So, right from the get go, there is a need to continue to engage other members of the parliament and sensitive them about the goings-on of this committee so that many of the things that will come out will not sound strange and they will be acceptable at the end of the day because we can do a beautiful work here and it will not scale through voting and that will be the end of this effort. Once again, let me thank you for this privilege and join my very learned senior members of the bar to say that we are indeed going to be committed into ensuring that the objective of this committee is achieved.”
Also, the coordinating consultant, Nwankwo, said the team would make the required sacrifice for the country.
“I want to join my colleagues to say thank you so much for the privilege you have given to us to serve this committee and work with the committee. In the letter that you have authorized to be issued to me as the coordinating consultant, you made very it very clear that in my position, the committee appreciates the pro bono service you have been rendering over the years. I want to say quite clearly that even as the coordinating consultant, my services are rendered pro bono. I intend to give the utmost possible to the work of this committee.
“The consultants have accepted this responsibility. We also accept and point out very clearly that we do not have any vote in this process. Ours is to do the work you have given to us, research, come up with knowledge, resource and materials that we can provide to the committee to help it make a decision and vote. Of course, we do have our personal views, but this has nothing to do with the quality and objectivity of what we will deliver to this committee. Certainly, we will do our best and ensure that all of the sectors of engagement including citizens and several groups will be engaged. We intend that this will be a process that we can advise the committee and deliver to the committee a constitution suggested amendments that have had inputs from across the different interests of the country,” he stated.
