Senate to review 2014 confab, APC restructuring reports

Published December 14, 2020

Sunday Aborisade , Abuja
The Senate ad hoc Committee on Constitution Review has set up sub -committees to review the reports of the 2014 National Conference and that of the Governor Nasir el -Rufai -led All Progressives Congress Committee on True Federalism .
Both reports recommended restructuring which requires fiscal federalism , devolution of power and creation of an additional state in the South -East geopolitical zone , among others .
The sub -committees would also review all the bills passed in previous National Assemblies and constitutional -related reports .
Deputy Senate President and Chairman of the Committee, Senator Ovie Omo -Agege , disclosed this when the panel , inaugurated since February 26 , held its second meeting on Thursday evening .
Our correspondent , who was at the meeting noted that the sub -committees were mandated to study the documents , the recommendations contained therein and advised the panel appropriately.
In his remarks, Omo -Agege said, “ We have had a lot of constitution review exercises , during which some bills were passed in the Senate but died in the House , some were passed in both chambers but did not receive presidential assent.
“ We need the sub – committees to look into these bills and advise us as to why they failed, their prospects of being reconsidered and passage. ”
He named Senator Gershom Bassey, as Chairman of the sub – committee to review the el-Rufai report on restructuring , while Senator Kashim Shettima would head the panel to study the 2014 confab report .
Former Deputy Senate President , Ike Ekweremadu, is to chair the sub -committee reviewing the status and updates of previous constitution amendments exercise .
The panel to review the current constitution amendment bills in the 9 th Senate would be chaired by Senator Smart Adeyemi.