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Final constitutional amendment draft ready before year end — Deputy Senate president 

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The Deputy Senate President and Chairman Senate Committee on the review of the 1999 constitution, Jibrin Barawu, on Saturday, said that the final draft of the ongoing constitutional amendment would be sent to the state House of Assembly for ratification before the end of the year.

Barawu, represented by the Senate leader, Michael Opeyemi Bamidele, disclosed this while speaking with journalists at the end of the two-day southwest Zonal bublic hearing on 1999 Constitution Amendment held in Lagos.

He disclosed that the dominant requests of the people of the Southwest during the public hearing include state creation, state police, local government creation, judicial reforms, electoral reforms, special seats for women both at the national and state House of assembly, among others.

The Deputy Senate President also stated that the public hearing should not be considered as a jamboree but an integral constitutional requirement to ensure that the people have a say in the preparation of a document that governs them.

He explained that the ongoing constitutional review should also not be taken to be a routine, as something meaningful that will further redefine good governance and strengthen the country’s democracy will definitely come out of the amendment.

Barawu disclosed that, for instance, based on the constitutional amendment as done by the 9th National assembly and the state House of Assembly, there were lot achievements recorded in the area of devolution of powers such that some issues which were hitherto in exclusive list were taken to concurrent list for the state government to oversee.

The Deputy Senate President said that the gains of the past constitutional amendment could also be seen with some electoral reforms that have begun to make Nigerians’ votes count.

Barawu revealed that “The essence of what we have done within these two days is to give Nigerians the chance to participate so that their elected representatives will not sit in Abuja and begin to tamper with the constitution.

“And our founding fathers who wrote the constitution have made it so difficult for anyone to just wake up and begin to tamper with the constitution, that’s why we are going through all these processes.

“And even after the national assembly would have done its job, we still need the support of 2/3 of the state House of Assembly before it could become an amendment.”

He continued, “The whole essence is to ensure that the constitution which is our ground norms is not changed without the popular consensus of Nigerians, that is what we have done, it is not just a jamboree, it is not just a routine and I want to assure you that something meaningful will also come out of this just like it has been in the past.

“We are looking to address lots of issues raised by the youth, the women, the traditional rulers, the professionals, and other stakeholders for good governance and a better Nigeria. We have heard Nigerian very loud and clear, and we are going to Abuja to file our report and conclude this process.

“Part of our timetable is that before the end of the year, a final notification as a proposal will be sent to the State House of Assembly so that we can round up the process without further delay.”

Barawu, however, urged stakeholders and those demanding one constitutional amendment or the order to also carry along the elected representatives so as to be on the same page and not be working at cross purposes.

He thanked the state lawmakers for being on the same page with their counterparts at the national assembly and urged them to also do the due diligence and ensure the success of the constitutional review.

Meanwhile, the Southwest Conference of Speakers of the State Legislature has said that the lawmakers are in support of all the requests coming from the region and also stand on the same page with the national assembly members from the Southwest as far as the ongoing constitutional amendment is concerned.

The lawmakers pledged that they will do all that is within their power to lobby their counterparts from the other five geopolitical zones to get the required two-thirds support of the state House of Assembly to ensure that the request of the Southwest people makes it into the constitution amendment.

The Speaker of Ogun State House of Assembly, Daisi Elemide, who spoke on behalf of his colleagues, explained that “we stand by all that our national assembly members from the Southwest are doing on the amendment of the 1999 constitution, we are on this same page with you.

“We stand by autonomy for the Legislature that is even already in the constitution but the implementation is where we have the problem, and the main challenge here our the governors, we shall continue to engage them to let them see reasons why they should allow the Legislature to enjoy the autonomy as enshrined in the constitution. We also stand by full autonomy for the local government, and we stand in support of the state police, too. We believe that having state police will help a lot to combat the various insecurity challenges that are confronting us.

“We are also of the strong belief that roles for our traditional rulers, which will be enshrined in the constitution, should also make it into this ongoing constitutional amendment.  This is what they used to have before it was removed, so giving our traditional rulers constitutional roles is what we shall equally work upon with the support of lawmakers from the other five geopolitical zones.

“On the reserved seats for the women, the House of Assembly in the Southwest is also standing by our women, ours is ‘He for She’ and we shall do all that is within our powers to support their aspirations”.

Making a presentation on behalf of the workers in the Southwest, the Chairperson of Nigeria Labour Congress, Lagos State, Agness Funmi Sesse, warned against the removal of labour issues from the exclusive list to the current list, saying that the country’s workforce will fight this with their last breath.

Sesse said that removing the labour issues from the exclusive list to the concurrent list means that issues of national minimum wage determination, among others, labour matters will now be made under the purview of the state government.

She added that it is a way to further impoverish and enslave the workers, as many states have even refused to implement the new minimum wage passed into law by the federal government last October.

Sesse warned that, “The removal of Labour provision from the exclusive to the concurrent will allow many state governments who are already violating many labour laws, such as proscription of trade unions even when these are in the exclusive list.

“We can then begin to imagine if the labour provisions are now made to be part of the concurrent list. Nigeria workers are, however, prepared to resist this internal colonialism with the last drop of our blood”.

Speaking on behalf of the Nigerian Bar Association, Dr Babatunde Olatunji, SAN, called for the overhaul of the judicial appointment process.

Olatunji said that the new constitution of the country should contain stipulated guidelines that must be strictly followed for the appointment of judges.

He said that the current guidelines, which stated that a lawyer who had spent 10 years after his or her call to bar could be made a judge, are too weak and subject to manipulation once such a lawyer is close to governors and the powers that be.

Olatunji said that if the process for the appointment of judicial officers is not right, the Judiciary will also not be able to perform up to expectations.

There were also presentations for the creation of Oke Ogun State from Oyo with Agunrege as the capital by Dr Bimpe Aderohunmu, creation of New Oyo State from Oyo with Ogbomosho as the capital read by Rear Admiral Jacob Ajani (retd.), among several others from youth, the women and other stakeholders and professionals.

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Obi urges issue-based campaigns

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Presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress, Peter Obi, has urged the media to demand issue-based campaigns from politicians ahead of the 2027 general elections, rather than allowing character assassination and name-calling to dominate political discourse.

Obi made the call on Friday at the 22nd All Nigeria Editors Conference in Enugu, urging journalists to use their position as managers of information to promote campaigns focused on good governance, unity, security and prosperity.

He said the media should challenge politicians who deviated from issue-based campaigns or attempted to prevent opponents from campaigning.

Obi said, “As we approach the election, I have only one thing I will plead that you include in your discussion. We made a choice to be a democratic country, and that choice is a choice that can help our country to grow.

“It is important that you help us, the politicians, to ensure that as we approach the election, our discussions, our campaigns, everything we do, is strictly based on issues that will bring good governance, unity, security and prosperity to the country.”

The former Anambra State governor also called for an environment conducive for political parties and candidates to campaign freely.

Obi recalled that political opponents were allowed to campaign in Anambra during his tenure as governor, citing visits by former Lagos State governor, Babatunde Fashola, former President Olusegun Obasanjo and former Abia State governor, Orji Uzor Kalu.

He said Fashola campaigned for Chris Ngige, while Obasanjo campaigned for Andy Uba and Kalu for Uche Ekwunife.

According to Obi, the campaigns did not result in confrontations because the people were allowed to make their choices.

“So we need that conducive environment to campaign as a country, to make it work,” he said.

Obi also dismissed reports of a disagreement between him and the Anambra State Governor, Chukwuma Soludo, describing the governor as his “respected elder brother.”

He said their relationship had remained cordial despite differences over issues concerning the state. He added that he and his wife were godparents to Soludo’s children.

“Me and Soludo are close. As a banker, he was my customer. And we have not changed. If I see him, I greet him, I respect his office he’s the governor,” Obi said.

“So, we’re not quarrelling! And we will never quarrel! If I see him any day, me and him will hug and everything,” he said.

Obi also defended his record on Anambra’s finances, disputing claims about the debt allegedly left by his administration.

He said Anambra’s external debt stood at about $18m when he assumed office and about $30m when he left in March 2014.

Obi further claimed that he left more than $150m in investments for the state when he left office. His position is that development facilities attributed to his administration should be assessed based on their approval, drawdown and repayment records.

Meanwhile, a medical practitioner, Dr Richard Okoye of SaveALife Mission Hospital, Port Harcourt, Rivers State, urged Nigerians to pay greater attention to their health amid economic pressures.

Speaking at the conference, Okoye identified stress, hypertension and diabetes as major health concerns and advised Nigerians to undergo regular medical checks even when they felt healthy.

He said untreated hypertension and diabetes could contribute to stroke, heart failure and kidney disease.

Okoye also cautioned against the indiscriminate use of sexual-enhancement drugs and drinks, urging men to pay attention to their cardiovascular and sexual health.

He advised Nigerians to seek appropriate medical care rather than attributing health problems solely to spiritual causes.

The two-day conference, organised by the Nigerian Guild of Editors, is being held in Enugu under the theme, ‘The Ballot, the Media and the Task of Keeping Democracy Alive’, with a sub-theme focused on detecting and debunking artificial intelligence-generated disinformation ahead of the 2027 election

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Tinubu Is Disconnected From Nigerians – APM

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Anyone who rigs election under me will go to jail — Obi

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Presidential candidate of the Nigerian Democratic Congress, Peter Obi, has vowed to jail anyone found rigging an election under his administration, saying the punishment would apply even where only one vote was involved.

Obi made the declaration in an interview with ARISE NEWS on Thursday, September 24, 2026, while outlining his position on electoral integrity, opposition politics and democratic governance ahead of the 2027 presidential election.

“I’ve said it, and I’ll say it again: if I am the serving president of this country, whoever rig elections will be in jail. Even for one vote, you will be in jail,” Obi said

He also pledged that political parties, including opposition parties, would not be harassed under his administration, saying his government would involve them in decisions affecting the country.

“No political party will be harassed; we will support them,” he said.

“We will be working with opposition political parties if there’s a matter of state where we have to take a decision, especially in a situation like we find ourselves now. We will invite all opposition.

“It’s a country, everyone is involved, and I want to involve everybody.

Obi said opposition members would also be involved in government decisions when he travels outside the country.

“I will make sure that even if I have to take foreign trips, opposition members will be involved in decisions, because it’s important.

“It’s our country. For our children, we must build a stable, united, and secure country.”

The NDC candidate also said he would remain accessible to Nigerians and prioritise being physically present in the country.

“It doesn’t matter who is in office. I’m telling you that I will offer that.

“Nobody will look for me and say, ‘Where is Peter?’ I won’t be on holiday; I must be in Nigeria.”

Obi also criticised what he described as restrictions placed on his campaign activities in some states, saying political candidates should be allowed to campaign freely regardless of their opponents’ political affiliations.

He said his appeal was not limited to his own candidacy but was aimed at protecting the democratic space.

“That’s it—to ensure that Nigeria works for the future of our children.”

Obi recalled that, as governor of Anambra State, he allowed political opponents to campaign in the state and provided facilities for them.

“When Governor Fashola of Lagos State told me he was coming to Anambra State, Charles, I gave him my car—it was my convoy that he used to go for that campaign.”

He also recalled accompanying former President Olusegun Obasanjo when he campaigned for another candidate in Anambra State.

“As governor of the state, when President Obasanjo came to campaign for Andy, I went with him.

“He was there telling people, ‘Peter has done well, but this man will do better.’ No problem!”

Obi similarly recalled providing lunch for former Abia State Governor Orji Uzor Kalu when he campaigned for Uche Ekwunife.

“After my lunch, standing in front of me with Uche Ekwunife, he told the press people, ‘Peter has done well, but Uche will do better.’

“That’s democracy, because I wanted the people to vote. There was no issue.”

Anambra debt dispute

On the dispute over his record as former Anambra governor, Obi rejected claims that he left the state with $123m in debt, insisting that he did not borrow money from any financial institution during his tenure.

“Let me categorically state again: I, Mr. Peter Obi, did not approach any financial institution to borrow money or issue bonds on behalf of Anambra State in the eight years that I was in government.”

He said the state was not owing salaries, gratuities, pensions, contractors or suppliers whose jobs had been completed, certified and verified when he left office.

Obi also said the World Bank and International Fund for Agricultural Development facilities referenced in the debt claims were concessionary development support obtained by the Federal Government and subsequently on-lent to qualifying states.

He said Anambra’s foreign debt was about $18m when he assumed office and about $30m when he left office in March 2014.

According to Obi, the state’s financial position at the time included more than $150m in dollar-denominated savings invested in bonds, which he said generated about $10m annually.

He argued that even if the debt figure being claimed by the state government were accepted, the funds he left behind would have been sufficient to clear the obligation.

Obi also presented what he described as his handover document, urging ARISE NEWS to verify the figures with the World Bank and Nigerian banks.

“Please publish these documents. I’m urging you, please.

“The World Bank is in Abuja; they can give you the history of the drawdowns. The banks mentioned here are Nigerian banks; you have access to their headquarters. Ask them whether this money was there.

Obi speaks on Soludo, Tinubu

On his relationship with Anambra State Governor Chukwuma Soludo, Obi said he had no dispute with the governor.

“I don’t have any dispute, talk less of being bitter, with my very respected elder brother, Governor Soludo.

“We remain brothers. He’s the governor of my state, and I respect him.”

Obi also criticised President Bola Tinubu’s absence from Nigeria, saying the President had remained outside the country beyond the period he initially announced.

“The CEO being present is critical at a time of crisis, not delegation.

“Yes, you have a chain of command, but where is the president? Nigerians ought to know.”

Obi rejects reported Kwankwasiyya campaign council

On the Obedient Kwankwasiyya Movement’s reported campaign council, Obi said the group did not have his approval and should operate as a support group rather than a parallel political structure.

“I was not aware, and that’s why I’m disapproving it here.”

The former Anambra governor also expressed openness to discussions on opposition cooperation, including the possibility of a presidential candidate stepping aside as part of efforts to strengthen democratic competition.

“When he comes, I’m not desperate to be president; I’m desperate to see Nigeria work. When he comes, it’s a discussion.”

Obi said opposition parties should focus on ensuring free, fair and credible elections, preventing violence and campaigning on issues affecting ordinary Nigerians.

“What I’m saying is that we should all come together and save democracy, ensure that election is free, fair, and credible, violence-free, and that we campaign on issues affecting ordinary Nigerians.”

In August, Obi defended his political record, saying he had never been involved in election rigging, violence, or any form of malpractice throughout his career.

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