New laws, who this...
The Constitution is getting some interesting updates
Good morning, Big Brains. I left Twitter for one hour and came back to a timeline full of AI-generated animated images. AI is really coming for our jobs, isn’t it?
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Let’s get into today’s edition:
The amended constitution is getting some interesting updates
The Senate has gone lower than low…again
The Big Deal
The constitution is getting some interesting updates
OG Big Daily readers already know that the Nigerian constitution is being amended. If this sounds like new information, that’s your cue to start your mornings with The Big Daily. It took months, but we’re finally getting an idea of what the amendments should look like.
On Tuesday, March 25, the National Assembly pushed 39 constitutional amendment bills past the second reading stage. That’s a lot of bills, but a few stood out to us.
Let’s start with the bill proposing State and Local Government Police. This bill is supposed to decentralize policing, giving states and local governments more control over their security. In theory, this could mean better security. In reality? Well, we’ll see how it plays out.
There’s also another bill that is a fave of ours—a bill for special legislative seats for Persons With Disabilities (PWDs) and Special Interest Groups. It is designed to reserve seats for physically challenged Nigerians at federal, state, and local government levels. It’s a step towards inclusivity, and we’re curious to see if it will become more than just a cute proposal.
Other bills include one that’s supposed to promote equal representation of men and women in government appointments, another to tighten rules for political party registration, and one to stop politicians from switching parties without resigning first.
Why is this a big deal?
These amendments have the potential to change things in Nigeria. The bill proposing State and Local Government Police, for instance, could change the way security agencies function across the country. Instead of relying on the Nigeria Police Force at the federal level, state and local governments would have smaller forces to address concerns peculiar to them. This could mean faster response time in cases of emergency and better security. A major concern ,though, is funding.
Many Nigerian states are broke and rely on the federal government for revenue. These extra security forces will most likely be bankrolled by the federal government, which is just as broke. Governors could also use these forces for political control instead of security. Even the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, shares the same concern.
We also have the proposed bill advocating for political inclusion for Persons With Disabilities (PWDs) and Special Interest Groups. Nigeria has over 27 million people living with disabilities, yet they are barely represented in governance. With this bill, that could change. But Nigerian history has taught us that inclusivity only looks good on paper. Even though we have laws that make it illegal to discriminate against persons with disabilities or build public buildings without accessibility aids such as ramps, our National Assembly, where these bills are coming from, has no ramps for accessibility, even after spending ₦42 billion on renovations.
The push for gender equality in government appointments is also great on paper, but given the events that have surrounded Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan’s sexual harassment allegations, we can only hope that this isn’t another form of eye service by the National Assembly, designed to make it look good.
For now, all 39 bills are with the Committee on Review of the Constitution. We’re not sure if they’ll ever see the light of day, but it doesn’t kill to hope, right?
The Senate has gone lower than low…again
The men in the Nigerian Senate swear they have ears until it’s time to listen to Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan.
On Tuesday, March 26, the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges, and Public Petitions, led by Senator Neda Imasuen, refused to hear a fresh petition filed by Mr Zubairu Yakubu, who appeared before the committee alongside former Education Minister, Dr. Oby Ezekwesili, and his lawyer, Abiola Akiyode.
Instead of addressing the allegations, the committee shut down the discussion, citing Senate rules that prevent them from handling cases currently in court. The "pending case" in question is a defamation lawsuit filed by Akpabio’s wife against Akpoti-Uduaghan for accusing him of sexual harassment. A case that is legally shaky, by the way.
Ezekwesili called out the Senate’s attempt to dismiss the petition, pointing out that they are simply avoiding accountability. And she’s clearly on to something because Akpoti-Uduaghan was denied a fair hearing when her petition was dismissed.
Yakubu, the petitioner, had planned for Akpoti-Uduaghan to testify as his key witness and present crucial documentary evidence, but she wasn’t even allowed inside the National Assembly.
His legal adviser, Dr. Abiola Akiyode, called out the Senate’s double standards, noting that Yakubu’s petition was essentially the same as Akpoti-Uduaghan’s, yet it was treated differently. “The Senate seems to be running its system separate from the Constitution,” she said, pointing out that this is the same Senate that suspended Akpoti-Uduaghan for six months without following due process.
At this point, the Senate’s refusal to properly investigate these allegations is looking sus as hell.
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