South-west Govs Set up Committee on Constitution Review
The six governors of the South-west, yesterday set up a committee on Constitution Review, after a meeting behind closed doors with South-west federal lawmakers.
The meeting which took place at Transcorp Hotel, Abuja lasted for over two hours.
Governors in attendance were Dapo Abiodun, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, Seyi Makinde and Gboyega Oyetola, of Ogun, Lagos, Oyo and Osun states, respectively.
Also present was the Ekiti State Governor and Chairman of Nigeria Governors Forum, Dr. Kayode Fayemi and his Ondo State counterpart, who is the Chairman of Southern Governors Forum and South-west Governors Forum, Rotimi Akeredolu who presided.
Akeredolu, earlier in his opening remarks, said issues set for discussions include, gender equality, federal structure in governance and fiscal decentralisation, state Police, amongst others.
He recalled that the last time such meeting was held was when they wanted to decide on who becomes the Speaker of the House of Representatives.
He described the inability to hold meeting since that time as unfortunate, while assuring that the development would not repeat itself.
Reading the resolution shortly after the closed doors meeting, the governor explained that they deliberated with the lawmakers on several areas of interest, especially constitutional amendments and they resolved to set up a committee in order to present a common position as regards to the amendment.
According to him, the committee is made of up senators led by the caucus Chairman Senator Opeyemi Bamidele; House of Representatives caucus Chairman, Hon. Femi Fakaye and attorneys of the south-west states.
Akeredolu said, “South-west governors held a meeting with members of the House of Representatives and senators from South -west. At the meeting we discussed so many areas of interest, but most importantly we deliberated on constitutional amendments and we resolved that we will present a common position as regards to amendment to constitution. And in order to achieve this, we set up a committee, the committee made of up senators led by the caucus chairman and House of Representatives caucus chairman and attorneys of the south west states. The committee is to harmonise our position so that we can present it when necessary before the two House and at the end of the day have a constitutional amendment have our serious input.”