L-R: Princess Miriam Onuoha (3), Dr. Ben Nwoye (4), and other stakeholders during the Public Hearing… Photo Credit: Tony Adibe
By Tony Adibe
The All Progressives Congress (APC) has organised a 1-Day public hearing on its constitution review in Enugu, Nigeria’s SouthEast Zone, with the objective of amending the Constitution to ensure inclusivity, increase women’s representation in politics, and strengthen the APC’s internal democracy.
NewsBits reports that participants at the public hearing came from the five SouthEast states – Abia, Anambra, Enugu, Ebonyi, and Imo. The hearing, which was held on Friday at the International Conference Centre (ICC), Independence Layout, Enugu, was expected to gather useful contributions from stakeholders on proposed amendments to the party’s constitution, hence memoranda were received from key participants.
Also, the public hearing was meant to collect input from participants focusing on zoning, representation, membership growth, transparency, and youth and women integration into leadership structures. Participants were advised to make useful contributions, to promote gender inclusiveness, youth representation, and financial accountability.
NewsBits reports that the APC’s constitution amendment process involves public hearings across Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones, demonstrating the party’s commitment to democratic reforms and broad-based participation, according to stakeholders, who addressed the gathering.
The outcome is expected to shape the party’s future, enhance its competitiveness, and contribute to Nigeria’s democratic development, the speakers insisted. In her opening remarks, the South-East Coordinator, APC Constitution Amendment Committee, Princess Miriam Onuoha, said the review was to enlarge the party and accommodate new members.
Onuoha said that a lot of persons, including Governor Peter Mbah, recently joined the APC, and amending the party’s constitution would make the new members “feel at home” as well as make others join the party.
According to her, “We intend to expand the party’s membership and accommodate more people, including former governors, National Assembly members, state assembly members, women, and persons with disabilities.
“The committee aims to position the APC as a leading global political party and accommodate people joining from other parties.”
She further spoke on women inclusion and the memoranda that were ought to be received at the public hearing. Onuoha said: “The committee is tasked with receiving and considering memoranda from party members on the future direction of the APC.
“There is a need for women’s inclusion and representation within the party’s leadership structure.”According to Princess Miriam Onuoha, Chairman of the South East Constitution review Committee, the APC has planned to reserve 11 slots for women in party politics, while aiming to promote gender inclusivity and diversity.
“The party also plans to expand its structure to accommodate more members, allowing new entrants to vie for positions without undue delays,” she explained.
Onuoha urged party members to participate in the continuous voters’ registration exercise, revalidate their voters’ cards and encourage people who have attained 18 years and above to go and register.
She said that memoranda were received from Dr. Ben Nwoye, Eugene Odoh (both from Enugu state), Anambra State, Imo State, and other stakeholders.
Earlier, while declaring open the public hearing, the host and Governor of Enugu state, Dr. Peter Mbah, said the constitution amendment of the party “will strengthen internal democracy in the party.”
Represented by the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Professor Chidiebere Onyia,.Governor Mbah lauded leadership of the party, stressing that, “This is the first time ever that the APC will be conducting a constitution amendment public hearing across the six geopolitical zones of Nigeria and the first in the South East.”
Describing the event as historic, Governor Mbah further said: “These historic firsts reveal not only the maturity of the APC but also the seriousness with which we approach democratic reforms, internal coherence and broad-based participation.”
He said that the public hearing would strengthen internal democracy, reflect inclusiveness in democratic governance and party administration, and position the party for the 2027 general elections.
Mbah expressed gratitude to the party for hosting the event in Enugu, saying that it spoke volumes about the centrality of the state in the political life of the South East. He pledged that the state, under his watch, would continue to support the party as much as possible.
Meanwhile, the APC National Vice Chairman, South East Zone, Dr. Ijeoma Arodiogbu, said the party could not continue to operate with an outdated or expired tool (constitution), which he recalled was last amended in 2022.
Arodiogbu said one advantage of the amendment was the inclusion of women to ensure inclusivity to enable them to take more strategic positions, instead of one or two positions reserved for women in the past.
In his remarks, the APC Acting chairman in Enugu State, Dr. Ben Nwoye, lauded the party for the choice of Enugu as the venue of the important public hearing on constitution review.
Nwoye said the event had never happened before in the state, emphasising that it was coming barely one month after the state Governor, Dr. Peter Mbah joined the party. He commended the Governor for joining the APC.
The Governor of Ebonyi State, Francis Nwafiru, in a remark, commended Enugu state Governor and aall-partymembers who joined the APC newly. Represented by a state lawmaker, Joseph Nnunu, Governor Nwifuru assured the people of Enugu state of inclusion, saying that they will soon start enjoying the party.
In his brief remarks, the Speaker of the Enugu State House of Assembly, RT. Hon. Uche Ugwu described the public hearing as remarkable, since “It underscores the trust the leadership has in advancing more politically.”
According to Ugwu, “The constitution is not just a set of rules. It is a moral compass that defines our actions. The gathering reminds us that power belongs to the people. We are duty-bound to strengthen our internal mechanisms, build trust.”
