Dantata: Senate Postpones North-West Constitution Review Public Hearing

The Senate has postponed its scheduled zonal public hearing on constitution amendments for the North-West region as a mark of respect for the late elder statesman and renowned philanthropist, Alhaji Aminu Dantata, who passed away recently in Saudi Arabia.

The Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, made the announcement during Tuesday’s plenary, noting that the decision followed consultations with stakeholders in the North-West geopolitical zone.

“In view of the demise of a very prominent philanthropist and stakeholder, late Alhaji Aminu Dantata, whose burial is taking place about now in Saudi Arabia, we resolve to observe a minute’s silence in his honour,” Akpabio stated.

He added that the North-West zonal public hearing on the constitution review would be rescheduled to a later date, to be determined in collaboration with stakeholders in the zone.

The Deputy Senate President, Barau Jibrin, who is the chaiman of the Senate Committee on the Review of the 1999 Constitution, is currently in Saudi Arabia, and is expected to return before a new date is agreed upon.

Despite the deferment of the exercise in the North-West, the Senate will proceed with the nationwide Zonal Public Hearings on constitution amendment in other zones.

The hearings are slated for July 4 and 5 and will take place concurrently in five other geopolitical zones: Lagos (South-West), Enugu (South-East), Ikot Ekpene (South-South), Jos (North-Central), and Maiduguri (North-East).

Senator Barau had emphasized the importance of the hearings, describing them as a vital platform for citizens to engage in shaping Nigeria’s constitutional future.

“These hearings are meant to give Nigerians across all zones the opportunity to make their voices heard on issues that directly affect their governance and daily lives,” he said.

Among the key proposals up for deliberation is the long-standing push for local government autonomy. One of the bills seeks to constitutionally recognise local councils as a full tier of government with a guaranteed democratic structure and tenure.

A related proposal advocates the creation of a National Local Government Electoral Commission to manage local elections nationwide, minimising state government interference.

The Senate is also considering far-reaching reforms in internal security, including bills proposing the creation of state police forces and state security councils to improve coordination and responsiveness at the sub-national level.

On fiscal matters, lawmakers will review six bills aimed at strengthening public financial accountability.

These include a proposal to empower the Revenue Mobilisation, Allocation and Fiscal Commission to enforce remittance compliance and another mandating specific timelines for the submission of annual budgets by the president and state governors.

The hearings will also take up a proposed constitution amendment to promote gender inclusivity through the reservation of additional legislative seats for women in both national and state assemblies — a move intended to boost female representation in governance.