The 10th Senate has finally constituted a 45-member committee to review and amend the 1999 Constitution, eight months after its inception.
The Constitutional Review Committee is one of the most important in every Assembly as it coordinates the affairs of the review of extant laws and other adjustments to the Constitution.
The Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, on Wednesday, announced the composition of the committee during the plenary.
He also highlighted the introduction of Artificial Intelligence as a major factor needed to amend the constitution.
Akpabio said, “There is a need for us to touch some aspects of the constitution to bring them in line with current (realities), particularly with the era of Artificial Intelligence and some of the things we have observed that need to be put right.”
Akpabio said the committee would be chaired by the Deputy Senate President, Barau Jibrin, while the Senate Leader, Opeyemi Bamidele would be the deputy chairman.
The Senate President explained that the 1999 constitution needed a review because it contained many issues that needed to be “put right.”
The Senate President explained that lawmakers who constituted the constitution amendment committee were selected from all states and geo-political zones.
He noted that the constitution amendment committee would be inaugurated next Tuesday and they would commence the review process immediately.
“The committee will be inaugurated on Tuesday, so that they can start functioning immediately.
“All the motions and resolutions pertaining to constitution amendment that have been brought to the senate since last year will now be channeled straight to that committee,” he said.
Apart from Barau and Bamidele, other members of the constitution amendment committee are: Deputy Senate Leader, Oyelola Ashiru; Whip of the Senate, Ali Ndume; Deputy Whip , Nwebonyi Onyeka; Minority Leader, Abba Moro; Minority Whip, Osita Ngwu; Deputy Minority Leader, Oyewunmi Olalere, and the Minority Whip Sani Hangar.
Others are: Senators Enyinnaya Abaribe, Binus Dauda Yaroe, Bassey Etim Akpan, Ifeanyi Ubah, Abdul Ningi, Seriake Dickson, Agom Jarigbe, Ned Nwoko, Adams Oshiomhole, Danjuma Goje, Osita Izunaso, Abdulhamid Ahmed and Khalid Mustapha.
They also included, senators Sani Rufai, Mutari Dandutse, Yahaya Abdullahi, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, Adebule Oluranti, Ugodiya Akwashiki, Sani Musa and Solomon Adeola.
The list also included, Adeniyi Ayodele, Abdulfatai Buhari, Simon Lalong, Aliyu Wamako, Shuaibu Lau, Ahmed Lawan, Sahabi Alhaji Ya’u, Ireti Kingigbe, and Ipalibo Banigo.
The senators who would represent their geopolitical zones are, Adamu Aliero (North-West); Orji Uzor Kalu (South-East) Francis Fadahunsi (South-West); Bomai Mohammed (North-West); Barinada Mpigi (South-south) and Umar Sadiq Sulaiman (North-central).