By our Reporter
Jibrin Barau, Deputy Senate President says the National Assembly’s joint committee on the review of the 1999 Constitution is currently considering 55 state creation requests, two boundary adjustments, and 278 local government area proposals.
Barau made this known during a two-day retreat of the Senate and House committees on constitution review held in Lagos.
In a statement by his media adviser, Ismail Mudashir, Barau said the process shows the National Assembly’s commitment to delivering “people-centred and timely amendments.”
“It has been a long journey to bring together amendment proposals that cut across several sections and deal with diverse subject matters,” he said. “For the past two years, we have engaged constituents, stakeholders, and civil society groups through town halls, interactive sessions, and public hearings — gathering views that shaped what we have today: 69 bills, 55 state creation requests, two boundary adjustments, and 278 local government creation requests.”
He urged lawmakers to ensure the first batch of amendment bills is transmitted to state assemblies before the end of the year, adding that the committee must put national interest above partisan or regional divides.
“We are seated here as one committee. There should be no ‘we’ and ‘them’. We should be guided by the interests of Nigerians,” Barau said.
Barau, who also chairs the Senate committee on constitution review and serves as the first deputy speaker of the ECOWAS Parliament, expressed optimism that members would deliver meaningful outcomes despite the task’s complexity.
