Chief Anyaoku,
The Nigerian Senate has invited the group led by former Commonwealth Secretary-General, Chief Emeka Anyaoku, known as The Patriots, to present their case for a new constitution during the upcoming public hearings on constitutional reforms.
The Patriots, a coalition of respected Nigerian statesmen and leaders, have been advocating for the replacement of the 1999 Constitution, which they argue has failed to adequately address the country’s persistent political, economic, and structural challenges.
During an interaction with journalists in his hometown of Ilawe-Ekiti, Senate spokesperson Senator Yemi Adaramodu responded to the group’s demands by encouraging them, and all interested Nigerians, to actively participate in the constitutional review process:
“We urge our patriotic patriots to avail themselves of the opportunities that are going to be open to everyone. We welcome input from all Nigerians, elders, professionals, political leaders, traditional rulers, youth groups, women’s groups, CSOs, and even Nigerians in the diaspora.”
Adaramodu explained that the National Assembly is committed to ensuring inclusive participation in shaping the country’s legal framework.
He noted that once all inputs are gathered, the Senate and House of Representatives will convene a comprehensive public hearing where various proposals can be debated:
“Once that report is ready, the Senate, in conjunction with the House of Representatives, will hold a comprehensive public hearing. This hearing will allow all stakeholders, those who submitted requests and those opposed to them, to present their arguments. After then, the two chambers will now sit together concurrently to pick which request is genuine.”
Regarding whether the process would result in a brand new constitution or an amendment to the existing one, Adaramodu stressed that the final outcome would reflect the collective interests of Nigerians:
“The final document, whether a completely new constitution or an amended one, will reflect the collective input of Nigerians, not just the opinion of one group. Our goal is to ensure that whatever constitutional changes are made will be in the best interest of Nigeria and its people.”
Senator Adaramodu also revealed that the Senate has received 61 formal requests for state creation, stemming from consultations with constituents across Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones.
These submissions range from calls for new states to demands for local government autonomy.
“First, the Senate cannot unilaterally create states; such requests must be considered during a constitutional review process. In such cases, Nigerians and other critical stakeholders will express their interests, which often range from local government autonomy to state creation and even the creation of more local governments.”
He added that existing Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs) created by states like Lagos and Ekiti would also be reviewed:
“There is also the validation of new Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs) created by various state governments, such as Lagos State and my own state in Ekiti. All of these will still be reviewed and examined. We will collate them, after which the Constitutional Review Committee, headed by the Deputy Senate President, Senator Jibrin Barau, in the 10th Senate, will aggregate, assess, and filter them before preparing a report to the Senate.”
Adaramodu addressed concerns that the current Senate may not complete the constitutional review process before the end of its tenure. He reassured Nigerians that constitutional amendments are not tied to a fixed timeline:
“Constitutional review is a timeless process; it is not bound to the tenure of the 10th Senate or House of Representatives. It can start at any time in a legislative year. With full commitment, amendments can be made quickly by the time we resume if Nigerians demand them.”
