By Suzan Edeh, Bauchi
Stakeholders in Bauchi State has urged the National Assembly to ensure constitutional roles for traditional rulers and create more local Government areas out of Bauchi State in the forth coming constitutional review.
The Stakeholders stated this in Bauchi when the All Progressive Congress APC , Senator Representing Bauchi South Senatorial District Shehu Buba Umar engaged stakeholders from his constituency on the proposed Constitution Review under consideration for the amendment of the 1999 Constitution.
Senator Buba who is the Chairman, Senate Committee on National Security and Intelligence organised a one day Townhall Summit in collaboration with the All Progressive Congress APC Bauchi South Zonal Executive Committee
on the Proposed Review of the 1999 Constitution to foster inclusive and participatory dialogue on key constitutional issues affecting the nation..
The Summit brought together key Stakeholders, including, Government representatives, Civil Society Organisations,, traditional Rulers, Legal Experts, Youth and Women Groups, Trade Unions, political class, Artisans and the general public, to deliberateon pressing areas of constitutional reforms .
Speaking at the occasion, the Chairman zonal executive committee for the review of the constitution Honourable Abdulmumini Mohammed Kundak said that the aim of the
Summit was to gather meaningful contributions and arrive at a collective position that will shape a Constitution that will truly reflects the aspirations and diversity of the Nigerian people as well as guarantee the protection of interest of the constituents in Bauchi South Senatorial District.
He noted that after the Summit, the positions adopted in Summit would be subsequently presented at the Zonal Public Hearing organised by the National Assembly in Maiduguri, Borno State.
Kundak assured the participants that their contributions will be used toward shaping a better future for our country even as he commended the stakeholders at the meeting for taking a significant step toward streamlining the process for the submission of memoranda procedure.
” The Stakeholders have resolved to constitute a committee vested with the responsibility of collecting and reviewing all memoranda submitted by interested communities. The committee will not only gather the documents but also harmonize them to remove inconsistencies, duplication, or conflicting interests among communities with similar requests”
“This harmonization is crucial to presenting a united and coherent position when the submissions reach the next stage at the zonal collation center in Maiduguri, Borno State” he said
Speaking on behalf of the newly inaugurated committee, Barrister Ibrahim Yakubu Umar, who was appointed as its chairman, assured all stakeholders of the committee’s readiness to act swiftly and efficiently towards the task before them.
He stressed on the importance of timely coordination and pledged that the collation and forwarding of memoranda would be done without delay.
Barrister Umar also reiterated the committee’s commitment to transparency, fairness, and thorough consultation with all relevant communities to ensure that no voice is left unheard in the process.