Some stakeholders in Bauchi, Gombe, and Dutse have called for improved public enlightenment to sensitise Nigerians to the ongoing constitutional review by the National Assembly.

They said that the proposed judicial reforms, devolution of powers, fiscal federalism, local government autonomy, electoral reforms, state police, electricity decentralisation and legislative independence deserved wider public engagement to ensure a people-driven constitution.

The stakeholders, including politicians, academics, and activists, said such engagement was imperative to enable the citizens to make informed contributions on the constitution review.

The respondents spoke on Sunday in separate interviews with journalists in Bauchi, Dutse, and Gombe.

Muritala Babatunde, a lecturer at the Federal University Dutse (FUD), said that constitutional amendments that would fundamentally reshape governance should attract equal public attention alongside debates on state police.

He said judicial reforms aimed at reducing the Supreme Court’s workload would accelerate justice delivery, improve legal certainty, and strengthen public confidence in the judicial system.

Mr Babatunde also identified electoral reforms, including independent candidacy and strengthening the State Independent Electoral Commissions, as measures capable of enhancing democratic participation, provided that the institutions remained independent of political influence.

He advocated greater devolution of powers to states, stressing that decentralisation must be accompanied by robust accountability mechanisms.

The don urged the lawmakers to subject every constitutional amendment proposal to rigorous scrutiny, noting that successful reforms depended not only on constitutional provisions but also on practical implementation.

Usman Inuwa, a legal practitioner, said constitutional review presented an opportunity to strengthen Nigeria’s federal structure.

“This should be done through reforms that promote fiscal federalism, judicial independence, electoral integrity, legislative effectiveness, and local government autonomy,” he said.

According to Mr Inuwa, the preparedness of state legislatures varies due to differences in legislative capacity, technical expertise and stakeholder engagement.

He called for improved legislative research support, stronger public participation, and greater institutional independence to enhance the quality of constitutional deliberations across the states.

The legal practitioner, however, cautioned that constitutional amendments alone would not translate into better governance without transparency, institutional capacity and sustained political commitment to ensure effective implementation.

Similarly, Kabiru Usman, a politician, called for sustained public enlightenment on constitutional review beyond the debate on state police.

He identified devolution of powers, local government autonomy, electricity decentralisation and correctional service reforms as key areas requiring broader public understanding.

Mr Usman stressed the need for effective collaboration between the three tiers of government to facilitate the successful implementation of the proposed amendments.

In Bauchi, Hauwa Ahmed, the clerk of the Bauchi State House of Assembly, said the legislators were awaiting the transmission of the proposed constitutional amendments from the National Assembly.

According to Ms Ahmed, the House will hold public hearings to inform constituents and other stakeholders, as their contributions are vital to the process.

“Once the documents are received, every amendment, including the proposed state police and other constitutional changes, will undergo a public hearing.

“The house will ensure that the views of the people of Bauchi State are reflected,” she said.

Ms Ahmed said that at the end of the constitutional review, the House would amend relevant state laws to conform with the new constitutional provisions.

Rambi Ayala opined that Nigeria’s greatest governance challenge was not the absence of laws, but the lack of political will to enforce existing constitutional provisions.

Mr Ayala, a former member of the Gombe State House of Assembly, described the 1999 Constitution as a living document requiring periodic amendments to address emerging national realities, stressing that reforms would have little impact without sincere implementation.

He lamented that many states failed to ensure local government autonomy in flagrant disregard of constitutional provisions and the Supreme Court’s judgment.

The former legislator said a number of local government councils were operating under the influence of the state governors, making autonomy more theoretical than practical.

Mr Ayala also expressed concern over the independence of the state legislature, arguing that executive interference continued to undermine their constitutional oversight responsibilities.

On security, Mr Ayala said the proposed creation of state police deserved careful consideration in view of Nigeria’s evolving security challenges, adding that constitutional reforms should respond to changing national realities.

He urged the executive, legislature, and judiciary to place national interest above political considerations and demonstrate the patriotism and political will required to make the constitutional review meaningful.

“The proposed constitutional amendments could strengthen governance, deepen federalism, improve accountability, and enhance democratic institutions,” he added.

(NAN)