Proposed New Constitution: Senate Welcomes Recommendations From The Patriots At Public Hearing 

The Senate has called on the Emeka Anyaoku-led group, ‘The Patriots,’ to avail itself of the opportunity of the public hearing to be organised by the National Assembly to present its recommendations on the proposal for a new Constitution.

Reacting to the group’s demand for a new constitution during an interactive session with newsmen in Ilawe-Ekiti, Spokesman of the Senate, Yemi Adaramodu, said that the National Assembly would look into the Constitution for amendments.

He said: “We urge our patriotic Patriots to avail themselves of the opportunities that are going to be open to everyone. We welcome input from all Nigerians — elders, professionals, political leaders, traditional rulers, youth groups, women’s groups, civil society organisations (CSOs), and even Nigerians in the Diaspora. Once that report is ready, the Senate, in conjunction with the House of Representatives, will hold a comprehensive public hearing.

” This hearing will allow all stakeholders, those who submitted requests and those opposed to them, to present their arguments. After that, the two chambers will now sit together concurrently to pick which request is genuine. The final document, whether a completely new constitution or an amended one, will reflect the collective input of Nigerians, and not just the opinion of one group. Our goal is to ensure that any constitutional change will be in the best interest of Nigeria and its people.”

He stressed that the lawmakers would prioritise the overriding national interest above primordial sentiments when deciding on a review or a new constitution, disclosing that the Senate had received about 61 requests for state creation during its interactions with constituents from the six geopolitical zones of Nigeria.

He said that the National Assembly would consider all necessary and important factors before recommending and approving any request for state creation, adding that it would be handled with utmost integrity, free from bias or personal interests.