Ondopress
Stakeholders from the South-South region, including Governor Douye Diri of Bayelsa State, have called for the entrenchment of true federalism, restructuring of the revenue-sharing formula, and the creation of new states, as part of the ongoing review of the 1999 Constitution.
Speaking at the South-South Centre A Public Hearing organized by the House of Representatives Committee on Constitution Review, held in Yenagoa, participants emphasized that any meaningful amendment must reflect the aspirations, realities, and socio-economic needs of Nigerians.
Key demands from the session included:
- Adoption of fiscal federalism
- Creation of state police
- Regional control of mineral resources
- Reserved legislative seats for women
- Formal recognition of Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs) as full-fledged local governments
Governor Diri, in his address, described the review as a timely and essential process, noting that the constitution must be retooled to better respond to the current governance and security challenges facing the nation.
Lawmakers and civil society groups also stressed the urgency of reforming Nigeriaβs constitutional framework to ensure equity, efficiency, and inclusivity in the nationβs governance architecture.