By Bode Durojaiye.

State Police, Council autonomy and special seats for women top the eighty-seven Constitution amendment Bills being proposed by the House of Representatives’ Committee on Constitution review.

Also being considered are “extensive electoral reforms, including proposals for independent candidacy, the establishment of an Electoral Offences Commission, and a fixed timeline for the determination of pre-election matters to ensure that the will of the people is never again subverted by legal technicalities”.

This was made known yesterday at a one-day public hearing on the amendment of the 1999 Constitution review by the panel in Abuja.

Some other issues are Electoral and Judicial reforms, devolution of powers, strengthening of public and traditional Institutions, as well as citizenship and Indigeneship.

While the bill for state and community policing seeks the establishment of state and community police systems, that of women and People Living with disabilities (PLWDs) proposes constitutionally guaranteed seats for women and persons with disabilities in the National Assembly and Houses of Assembly.

The sponsors of the bill for financial and administrative independence for local governments are seeking to enhance the autonomy of the third tier of government via a structured system of Executive and Legislative arms.

At the forum, His Imperial Majesty, Iku Baba Yeye, the Alaafin of Oyo Kingdom and Superior Head of Yorubaland , Oba Engineer Abimbola Akeem Owoade 1, was prominent among traditional rulers, who renewed their agitations for a constitutional role, clarified that the motive is not to hijack the function of elected leaders, but to serve as a bridge between the government and the governed.

They said said political role would enable the monarchs to complement government structures at the grassroots.

The royal father who went down memory lane recalled before the amalgamation of the Northern and Southern protectorates and the Lagos Colony to form Nigeria in 1914, the various areas were a conglomeration of kingdoms, caliphates, chiefdoms and emirates, with various levels of traditional authorities as the basis for governance.