Senate is reportedly considering Independent candidacy and diaspora voting in constitution review.
NaijaOnPoint Nigeria reports that the push for independent candidacy at all levels of election will be top on consideration in the ongoing electoral reforms and constitution review.
Also to be considered is a bill for diaspora voting seeking to enfranchise Nigerians abroad at a two-day public hearing being facilitated by the Senate Committee on the Review of the 1999 Constitution.
The hearings will hold simultaneously in Lagos (South West), Enugu (South East), Ikot Ekpene (South South), Jos (North Central) Maiduguri, (North East) and Kano (North West) on July 4 and 5.
The Senate Committee on the Review of the 1999 Constitution, chaired by the Deputy President of the Senate, Barau Jibrin, will midwife the hearings.
Also slated for deliberation are various bills on local government autonomy, judicial reforms, state creation, state police and inclusive governance.
The Special Adviser, Media and Publicity to the Deputy President of the Senate, Ismail Mudashir, on Sunday, gave other highlights of the hearings.
According to him, recognition of local government councils as a tier of government to guarantee their autonomy and tenure of office of elected officials in the 774 local government areas, is also on the card.
“Another bill on local government reforms seeks to create an independent National Local Government Electoral Commission (NALGEC) to organise, conduct and supervise local government elections.
“Also to be considered during the zonal public hearing are two bills on security and policing for the establishment of state police and state security council to coordinate internal security policies at the sub-national level.
“In the area of fiscal reforms, six bills are going to be considered including the one to empower the Revenue Mobilization, Allocation, and Fiscal Commission to enforce compliance with remittance of accruals into and disbursement of revenue from the Federation Account and streamline the procedure for reviewing the revenue allocation formula.
“Also, on fiscal reforms, a bill to alter the provisions of the constitution to specify the period within which the president or the governor of a state shall present the appropriation bill before the National Assembly or House of Assembly, will be discussed during the hearing.
“In a fresh move toward gender equity, the Committee will also consider a bill to provide additional seats for women in the National and State Houses of Assembly.
“To strengthen traditional institutions, a Bill for an Act to alter the constitution to establish the National Council of Traditional Rulers, the State Council of Traditional Rulers, and the Local Government Council of Traditional Rulers would also be considered,” he added.
Additionally, the hearing will consider over 20 bills seeking to overhaul the country’s judiciary, including timelines for judgment delivery and expanded jurisdiction for election tribunals.
Proposals on devolution of powers, seeking the transfer of items like labour and shipping from the Exclusive to the Concurrent Legislative List, will similarly be considered.
Also for deliberation are 31 proposals on state creation, with five requests each from the South West, South South, and North Central geopolitical zones.
The committee received seven requests from the North East, six from the North West, and three from the South East.