Benjamin Kalu, the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, has assured Nigerians that the National Assembly will involve them in the current process of constitutional amendments.
Kalu, who spoke in Lagos during the commencement of a retreat aimed at fostering cooperation between the House of Representatives Committee on Constitution Review and the Judicial Officers of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, stressed that the legislature will not impose any constitution on the citizens.
The retreat was organized by the Policy and Legal Advocacy Centre (PLAC) and the UK Foreign and Commonwealth Development Office (FCDO).
The purpose of the retreat was to encourage discussions between the House of Representatives Committee on Constitution Review and Judicial Officers regarding proposals for constitutional changes that would improve Nigeria’s judicial system.
Kalu, who serves as the Chairman of the House Committee on the Review of the Constitution, underscored the importance of the discussions, which included protecting the judiciary from political interference, increasing the scope of court authority, and ensuring the conduct of fair and trustworthy elections.
He pointed out the judiciary’s crucial role in the interpretation of laws, the maintenance of the balance of power, and the protection of citizens’ rights.
Kalu emphasized the National Assembly’s proactive approach to engaging with the Nigerian people to ensure that no one was overlooked.
Previously, the Attorney General of the Federation, Lateef Fagbemi, mentioned that certain past amendments did not succeed in making the intended impact due to insufficient consultation, lack of thorough analysis, and insincerity motivated by personal interests.
“For example, many states are yet to take advantage of items that we recently mulled from the exclusive to the concurrent legislative list,” Fagbemi said.
