HOUSE OF REPS INAUGURATES CONSTITUTION REVIEW COMMITTER

The speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, on Thursday, inaugurated the House’s constitution review committee, consisting of 49 members.

The Senate had last week inaugurated a similar committee.
The committee will conclude work on the fourth alteration bill started by the seventh Assembly, Mr. Dogara said at inauguration ceremony Thursday.
The seventh Assembly had jointly passed the fourth alteration bill to further amend the 1999 Constitution, but former President Goodluck Jonathan withheld assent even after billions had been committed to amendment exercise.
The Sixth Assembly (2007-2011) enacted the first, second and third alterations to the constitution.
Against this background, Mr. Dogara said, “Since the coming into effect of the 1999 Constitution, and the convocation of the National Assembly in 1999, varying efforts were made in the 4th, 5th, 6th, and 7th Assembly to alter some sections of the Constitution.
“Indeed the 6th Assembly (2007-2011) enacted the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Alteration Acts.

“The 4th Alteration Act was successfully carried out at the level of the National Assembly and the State Houses of Assembly by the 7th Assembly (2011-2015), but was unfortunately not assented to by the then president, Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, GCFR.
“The 1999 Constitution vests law-making powers in the National Assembly (Section 4); and in particular, it envisages that the constitution, being a living document that is expected to guide the affairs of the country may require alteration or amendments from time to time as a result of operation of its various aspects or new experiences and new thinking on some of its provisions.
“It is as a result of this that the constitution specifically provides for the mode of altering its provisions in Section 9 thereof,” the speaker said.
He advised the committee not to start afresh.
“In carrying out your assignment, therefore, we would recommend a two-track approach.
“Firstly, we need to conclude the 4th Alteration Bill, which is pending.
“Secondly, we need to process all the other new bills referred to the committee by members, including new proposals from the general public.
“We may also sift ideas from the CONFAB Report of 2014, in a possible 5th Alteration Bill,” he recommended.
The committee is chaired by the deputy speaker, Yusuf Lasun, and consists one representative from all the states as well as nine principal officers of the house.
List of members
Suleiman Lasun
(Deputy Speaker) – Chairman
ii. Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila – Member
iii. Hon. Ado Garba Alhassan – Member
iv. Hon. Umar Buba Jibril – Member
v. Hon. Pally Iriase – Member
vi. Hon. Leo Ogor – Member
vii. Hon. Umar Barde Yakubu – Member
viii. Hon. Chukwuka Wilfred Onyema – Member
ix. Hon. Binta Bello – Member
x. Hon. Sunday Karimi – Member
xi. Hon. Funke Adedoyin – Member
xii. Hon. Zephaniah Jisallo – Member
xiii. Hon. Gyang Istifanus Dung – Member
xiv. Hon. Abubakar Chika – Member
xv. Hon. Emma Udende – Member
xvi. Hon. J. G. Gaza – Member
xvii. Hon. Sani M. Abdu – Member
xviii. Hon. Aisha Jibir Dukku – Member
xix. Hon. Zakari Y. Galadima – Member
xx. Hon. Mohammed Nur Sheriff – Member
xxi. Hon. Sadiq Ibrahim – Member
xxii. Hon. Rimande Kwewum Shewulu – Member
xxiii. Hon. Alhassan Bala Abubakar – Member
xxiv. Hon. Abubakar Hussaini Moriki – Member
xxv. Hon. Sunday Marshall Katung – Member
xxvi. Hon. Rabiu Garba Kaugama – Member
xxvii. Hon. Mohammed Ali Wudil – Member
xxviii. Hon. Adullahi Umar Faruk – Member
xxix. Hon. Murtala Isah – Member
xxx. Hon. Nkem Uzoma Abonta – Member
xxxi. Hon. Eucharia Azodo – Member
xxxii. Hon. Nwazunkwu Chukwuma – Member
xxxiii. Hon. Kingsley Ebenyi – Member
xxxiv. Hon. Jerry Alagbaoso – Member
xxxv. Hon Diri Douye – Member
xxxvi. Hon. Henry Okon Archibong – Member
xxxvii. Hon. Bassey Eko Ewa – Member
xxxviii.Hon. Daniel Reyenieju – Member
xxxix. Hon. Nnam Obi Uchechukwu – Member
xl. Hon. Akpatason Peter Ohiozojeh – Member
xli. Hon. Babajimi Benson – Member
xlii. Hon. Yinka Ajayi – Member
xliii. Hon. Isiaka Ayotunre Ibrahim – Member
xliv. Hon. Kehinde Agboola – Member
xlv. Hon. Olemija Stephen – Member
xlvi. Hon. Segun Ogunwuyi – Member
xlvii. Hon. Asabe Vilita Bashir – Member
xlviii. Hon. Onyemaechi Joan Mrakpor – Member
xlix. Hon. Stella Ngwu – Member