C’River Speaker Attends Constitutional Review retreat in Lagos as NASS Partners Judiciary

By Denis Inakefe, ANIPR.

The Speaker of the Cross River State House of Assembly, Rt Hon Elvert Ayambem, as well as Speakers of State Houses of Assembly across the country and members of the judiciary, are currently attending a two-day retreat hosted by the National Assembly (NASS) joint committee on the review of the 1999 constitution, at the Four Points by Sheraton Hotel Victoria Island in Lagos.

The Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon Benjamin Kalu, declaring the event open, stated that the National Assembly (NASS) joint committee on the review of the 1999 constitution, in collaboration with the judiciary, aims to strengthen the judiciary’s independence, shield the judiciary from political pressures, and ensure that decisions made promote the common good.

Speaking with Rt. Hon. Elvert Ayambem at the sidelines of the event, aligned with Kalu that the sectoral engagement was meant to address electoral disputes, uphold the principle of free, fair, and credible elections in Nigeria, expand the jurisdiction of certain courts to address modern challenges and improve citizens’ access to justice and public trust in the judiciary.

The sectoral engagement, which brought together practitioners, experts, and legislators at the national and sub-national levels, was expected to yield positive outcomes, according to legislative stakeholders present at the event.