House Of Reps To Begin Public Hearings On Constitution Review From July 11

The Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Benjamin Kalu, has revealed that the zonal public hearings for the proposed review of the 1999 Constitution will begin on July 11, 2025.

Naijaonpoint reports that this development is part of the ongoing constitutional amendment process aimed at engaging Nigerians in shaping the country’s legal framework.

During a briefing on Wednesday, Kalu unveiled the schedule for the public hearings, which will take place in the six geopolitical zones of Nigeria.

According to Kalu, the hearings for the north-east, north-west, and north-central zones will be held from July 11 to 13. Meanwhile, the hearings for the south-east, south-south, and south-west zones will take place from July 18 to 20. The deputy speaker added that a national public hearing will be held on July 21.

Kalu emphasised the importance of participation in these hearings, stating that zonal chairmen and their deputies must coordinate with states within their regions to ensure active engagement from all relevant stakeholders.

“As discussed in our previous meetings, the committee is committed to subjecting the 87 prioritized bills, which have already passed second reading, to public hearings in each of the six geopolitical zones,” Kalu explained.

The Deputy Speaker, who also chairs the House committee on constitution amendment, outlined the plan for the next stages in the legislative process.

He mentioned that after the zonal hearings, the House will hold a one-week plenary debate on the bills from October 7 to 9, with a vote scheduled for October 14. The bills will then be transmitted to the state assemblies by October 30, 2025.

Kalu also provided details about additional engagements lined up for the constitutional review process. A meeting with political party leaders will take place in Abuja on July 14, 2025, followed by a session with the Nigerian Governors’ Forum (NGF) on July 23 to seek support for the bills.

Further, Kalu disclosed that the joint constitution review committee, which includes both the Senate and the House, will meet with the speakers of the 36 state houses of assembly between September 25 and 28, 2025, to harmonize the bills.

To broaden support for the constitutional review, the committee has scheduled a diplomatic dinner for July 20, 2025, to engage the international community on key themes such as gender equality, security architecture, and state policing.

Kalu also highlighted a meeting with civil society organizations and community-based groups, which is set for July 3, 2025. These engagements aim to bring alternative perspectives to the review process, ensuring that the legislative decisions are informed by a wide range of views.

In recognition of the media’s crucial role in the process, Kalu noted that the committee would meet with the Guild of Editors and the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ) on July 8 to promote public discussions, debates, and education on constitutional issues.

Kalu urged all committee members to work diligently to ensure that the constitutional amendment process is completed and the bills are passed by December 2025.