ABUJA- The Deputy Senate President, Sen. Ike Ekweremadu, has said that plans to review the 1999 Constitution are still on course.

Addressing newsmen on Wednesday in Abuja , Ekweremadu, who is the Chairman of the Joint Constitution Review Committee, said that the committee would be inaugurated when the National Assembly reconvened on October 7.

He denied the reports that there were unresolved issues between the Senate and the House of Representatives regarding the constitution of the committee.

Ekweremadu said that the inauguration of the committee, earlier scheduled to be performed by Senate President David Mark on September 15, was adjourned to accommodate the programmes of its members.

He said that the committee would start work immediately after its inauguration, adding that its membership had been increased from 74 to 88.

“There is one member from each state of the federation, including the FCT, from both chambers.
“Two additional members were added from the committee’s chairman and deputy chairman’s states, while a female member was taken from each of the six geopolitical zones,” he said.

Ekweremadu pledged that the committee would be very transparent in undertaking its assignment and would make judicious use of the N1 billion earmarked for the exercise.

“Any unspent money from the budget, no matter how small or how big, will be returned,” he said.
It will be recalled that members of the committee for the two chambers of the National Assembly were constituted in May this year.

Meanwhile, Senate President David Mark has sent a letter of condolence to the family of the late veteran broadcaster, Mr. Yinka Craig, who died on September 22.