Nigeria Requires New Constitution – Deputy Speaker Kalu.

Benjamin Kalu.

The Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Benjamin Kalu, has stated that Nigeria requires a constitution that can support the growth of its democracy.

Kalu made this statement on Monday during a consultative meeting held in Abuja with the national chairmen, secretaries, and women leaders of registered political parties.

While addressing the participants, Kalu, who also serves as Chairman of the House Committee on Constitution Review, remarked that although Nigeria has made notable progress in its democratic journey since 1999, further action is necessary to ensure that democracy is effective not only in theory but also in practice for the benefit of the Nigerian people.

The 10th House of Representatives, under the leadership of Tajudeen Abbas and in partnership with the Senate, is in the process of reviewing specific clauses in the 1999 Constitution in order to strengthen governance and make democracy meaningful for citizens.

The committee headed by Kalu has recently carried out a nationwide consultation across the six geo-political zones, engaging stakeholders from various sectors. The committee has identified critical areas requiring reform, such as power devolution, independent candidacy, local government autonomy, state police, and reserved seats for women.

The committee has pledged to present the final version of the reviewed constitution to the National Assembly for deliberation and approval in December 2025.

The legislator from Abia State urged political party leaders to carefully examine the proposed bills and communicate their views to the committee for possible incorporation into the final document.

“We need a constitution that does not just permit democracy, but actively enables it. Here, we are considering bills that seek to streamline our electoral process, reducing the endless litigation that undermines the will of the people.”

“These are not abstract legal propositions. These are reforms that go to the heart of what it means to be a democracy. And they require your input. Twenty-six years ago, Nigeria returned to democratic governance under the 1999 Constitution. It was a moment of great expectation.”

“After decades of military rule, we dared to believe that a new era of freedom, justice, and prosperity was finally within reach. The Constitution we adopted was meant to be the bedrock of a new Nigeria, a Nigeria where power belonged to the people, where rights were guaranteed, and where institutions served the common good,” he said.