The Presidency yesterday urged Nigerians nursing grudges against the constitution review exercise to allow people holding dissen-ting views to do so without hindrance.

In a statement in Abuja, presidential adviser on Natio-nal Assembly matters, Mrs. Florence Ita-Giwa said all those making inputs into the review exercise "whenever they express dissent or agreement on issues to do so genuinely and democratically without necessarily fanning the embers of dissention."

Ita-Giwa's statement came a day after senators nearly exchanged blows over the alleged third term agenda being pursued through the constitu-tion review exercise.

The statement said rather than engaging in bickering, "genuine democratic elements of lobby and persuasion would be veritable vehicles for can-vassing opinions on this vital democratic exercise."

It described the recently concluded public hearings as successful.

"We congratulate the NASS committee on constitutional review and indeed the entire leadership and members of the National Assembly for the successful conduct of zonal public hearings on the review of the 1999 constitution.

"We congratulate, especial-ly, Nigerians who participated and made valuable contribu-tions in one way or the other, to the national review exercise.

"We believe that the exer-cise was necessary, expedient, and was a veritable opportu-nity afforded to Nigerians by the National Assembly to reassert their constitutional role as the ultimate decision makers on all matters concer-ning their future and their destiny.

"We urge and encourage all Nigerians no matter their ideological leanings to recog-nize and to respect this right and also to support and encou-rage the ongoing review process."

Meanwhile the Ibrahim Mantu-led National Assembly Joint Constitution review Com-mittee yesterday began colla-ting reports of the six zonal tour groups that conducted public hearings.

Five of the groups had tabled their reports yesterday. Only the Southwest team was yet to present its report when the enlarged panel met.

The hearings were held simultaneously last week in Lafia (North-central), Katsina (North-west), Maiduguri (North-east), Abakaliki (South-east), Port Harcourt (South-south) and Osogbo (South-west).

Also during yesterday's meeting, controversy reported-ly arose over the sharing of N16.8 million tour allowances for the lawmakers.

Each of the six groups was given N2.8 million.

A reliable source at the meeting said some of the team leaders were accused of using an unfair formula for distri-bution of the monies.

Daily Trust learnt it was resolved that the leaders resolved the matter amicably.

Mantu also announced a change of venue of the committee's retreat from Obudu Ranch in Cross River state to Port Harcourt.

He said there was no adequate accommodation for the legislators in the venue initially proposed.

The retreat is expected to begin on Sunday and last for five days.