Reps Explore Global Input for National Charter Update

By Gloria Ikibah

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The House of Representatives Committee on Constitution Review is exploring avenues for international engagement to support the ongoing efforts to revise the nation’s foundational legal document.

The initiative highlights the committee’s intent to draw from global experiences and frameworks to enhance the quality and effectiveness of the constitutional review.

At a recent gathering titled “Constitution, Dialogue and National Renewal”, held at the National Assembly Library in Abuja, the Deputy Speaker—who also chairs the committee overseeing the process—spoke on the role of dialogue across borders in shaping strong governance systems.

He outlined three primary areas for external collaboration: exposure to comparative governance models, access to technical insights, and mutual interaction with legislative bodies abroad.

According to him, such efforts aim to expand the committee’s perspective, improve legislative drafting, and ensure that reforms align with both domestic realities and tested approaches from other systems.

The Deputy Speaker noted that the committee is open to receiving advisory support, research collaboration, and training initiatives to reinforce its institutional capacity in navigating the reform process effectively.

He said: “Your Excellencies, the task of constitutional reform is not one we undertake in isolation. As we navigate this complex process, we recognize the immense value of international partnerships, knowledge exchange, and collaborative learning.

“Parliamentary diplomacy has emerged as a powerful tool for strengthening

international cooperation, promoting democratic values, enhancing mutual

understanding, and facilitating the exchange of best practices in

constitutional and legislative matters. It is in this spirit that we have convened

this dinner tonight to explore avenues for meaningful collaboration that can

enrich our constitutional review process.

“We seek your support and partnership in several key areas: Study Tours and Legislative Exchange; Technical Resources and Expertise and Inter-Parliamentary Cooperation.

“We believe that exposure to diverse constitutional models and legislative

practices can significantly enhance our reform efforts. We invite your support

in facilitating study tours for our committee members to your respective countries to observe firsthand how similar constitutional issues have been addressed in different contexts.

“These exchanges would allow our lawmakers to gain valuable insights into

alternative governance structures, electoral systems, judicial frameworks,

and security architectures that might inform our own constitutional

amendments.

“Constitutional reform requires specialized knowledge and expertise across various domains, from federalism and devolution to judicial independence

and gender mainstreaming. We welcome technical assistance from your

countries and international organizations in the form of expert consultations,

research support, and capacity building for our committee members and

staff.

“We seek to strengthen our engagement with parliamentary bodies in your countries through formal and informal channels of cooperation. This could include bilateral relations between our parliaments, participation in international parliamentary institutions, and thematic exchanges focused on specific areas of constitutional reform.

“These cooperative frameworks would facilitate the sharing of legislative

experiences, procedural innovations, and policy approaches that could enrich our constitutional review process”.

The Deputy Speaker also emphasised that the approach to the constitutional review is founded on the principle of inclusive participation.

To this end, he said that the committee has a adopted a multi-stakeholder engagement strategy that include public hearings, stakeholder consultations, digital platforms and media engagement, reiterating that the deadline for the completion of the review process remains December, 2025.

“This inclusive approach reflects our commitment to a constitution that truly

represents the aspirations of the Nigerian people and addresses their most pressing concerns.

“Your Excellencies, we have set December 2025 as our deadline for completing the constitution review process. This timeline is deliberate, designed to ensure that we conclude our work before the commencement of electoral activities that might inadvertently affect the alteration process”, Kalu said.