Public debate on constitutional amendments

A public debate on constitutional amendments proposed by a presidential review panel will begin on 30 April, news organisations reported. In a report presented to President Olusegun Obasanjo on 13 March, the panel proposed about 92 amendments to the constitution drafted in 1999 by the country's last military government, AFP said. Information Minister Jerry Gana said in a statement that the amendments proposed by the panel in a report subitted on 11 March to President Olusegun Obasanjo would be presented to the public in six cities between 30 April and 29 May. The six are Enugu in the southeast, Port Harcourt (south), Ibadan (southwest), Bauchi (northeast), Kaduna (northwest) and Abuja (centre). "The essence of the zonal presentations is to highlight, elucidate, explain and offer critical assessment of the proposed amendments to the 1999 constitution, so as to facilitate clear understanding of the basic issues by the general public," the statement said.