By Abimbola Ogunnaike
The President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, on Wednesday, 14 February, 2024 announced the membership of a 43-man Constitution Review Committee from the Red Chamber.
Akpabio, who announced this after the extended Plenary Session for the day, named the Deputy Senate President, Senator Jibrin Barau, as the Chairman of the Committee.
He disclosed that the committee has all the Principal Officers as members, while one senator each was selected from each of the 36 states of the Federation and the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, and geopolitical zones.
The principal officers on the membership of the committee are: Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele, who will serve as the Deputy Chairman; Deputy Leader, Lola Ashiru; Chief Whip, Ali Ndume; Deputy Whip, Peter Nwebonyi; Minority Leader, Abba Moro; Deputy Minority Leader, Kamorudeen Oyewumi; Minority Whip, Osita Ngwu; and Deputy Minority Whip, Rufai Hanga.
Those appointed to represent states include senators Enyinaya Abaribe, Binus Yaroe, Ifeanyi Ubah, Abdul Ningi, Seriake Dickson, Agom Jarigbe, Ned Nwoko, Adams Oshiomhole, Osita Izunaso, Danjuma Goje, and Yahaya Abdullahi.
Others are: senators Ahmad Lawan, Idiat Adebule, Godiya Akwashiki, Sani Musa, Ireti Kingibe, Sahabi Yau, Abdulfatai Buhari, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, Solomon Adeola, Aniekan Bassey, Ibrahim Khalid, and Adeniyi Adegbonmire.
Representatives of the geopolitical zones in the committee are Senators Adamu Aliero (North West), Orji Uzor Kalu (South East), Francis Fadahunsi (South West), Mohammed Bomai (North East), Barinada Mpigi (South South), and Sadiq Suleiman (North Central).
In his remarks, the Senate President directed the committee to invite the Speaker of the State Houses of Assembly for interaction, saying that the 1999 Constitution needs serious review.