Governor of Bauchi State Senator Bala Abdulkadir Mohammed Kauran Bauchi Wednesday attended the opening ceremony of a two-day public hearing on the review of the 1999 Constitution organised by the Nigerian Senate.
Declaring the public hearing open at Command Guest House Bauchi, Governor Bala said with the new development the Senate has set machinery in motion for amendment of the constitution which is a welcomed the initiative.
The Governor said members of the National Assembly as elected representatives have responsibilities of addressing the shortcomings that have manifested in the 1999 Constitution with the overriding public interests of their constituents.
He pointed out that the Military has played dominant role in the political development of Nigeria since 1966 when the first democratically elected government in the country was overthrown in a Military coup on 15th January, 1966.
According to Governor Bala, the then four regions that made up the Federal Republic of Nigeria were semi-autonomous with their governments having powers to run their affairs without undue interference by the Federal Government, while the regional governments were also in control of most of their resources.
Governor Bala supported the creation of additional states and local governments especially in Bauchi considering it’s map and population.
The Governor also welcomed the review of the 1999 Constitution particularly establishment of state police, states and local governments creation, constitutional roles for traditional rulers and federal structure in governance and power devolution.
In his speech, the leader of the delegation Senator Abubakar Kyari said the public hearing will give opportunity to Nigerians to take part of the review of the 1999 constitution in order to come up with a fair one.
He assured Nigerians that the 9th Assembly will continue to bring positive transformation for a better Nigeria and called for support for the success of the reform.
Others who spoke at the opening ceremony of the public hearing in Bauchi were Honorable Speakers of Bauchi, Borno and Yobe States House of Assemblies where they pledged their support in the review of the 1999 Constitution.
