Ikokwu: NASS can give us new constitution this year
Second Republic Politician and a leader of the Southern and Middle-Belt Leaders Forum, SMBLF, Chief Guy Ikokwu, has faulted the Senate on its position that it does not have the power to give Nigerians a new grundnorm as demanded by the group.
Ikokwu, who lamented that the National Assembly has been on an unending constitution amendment exercises since 1999, said ”the 1999 Constitution is a fraud” and the Senate’s claim ”is part of their time-buying” plot ahead the 2023 general elections.
His words: ”They are just buying time. The 1999 Constitution is a fraud. They held zonal public hearings. More than 80 per cent of the people want fiscal federalism and restructuring. They can give us a new constitution this year before the 2023 elections. Any election based on the 1999 Constitution is a fraud on the people of Nigeria.”
Said Ikokwu, who is also an elder of the Ohanaeze Ndigbo: Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide is one of the four organizations making up the SMBLF. Our President is Amb Prof C. OBIOZOR and he has endorsed the common position of the SMBLF delegates at the Abuja Confab resolutions for the abrogation of the 1999 unitarian Constitution imposed by the Military which is undemocratic.
We want a new Constitution of the people which should replace the present with a truly Federal Constitution approved by the people whose provisions are in tandem with the 1963 Constitution and the amendments endorsed by the 2014 Abuja Confab resolutions to be approved by the people.
”This can be done before any further National Election. The National Assembly is still having consultations for an amendment of the present Constitution since the 8th Hon Saraki Assembly in a piecemeal cavalier manner. The present structure of the National Assembly is not appropriate for a final endorsement of the terms of a New Constitution as presently composed.
The various expression’s of the terms for a New Constitution across the zones in the country are in favour of a total abrogation of the current unitarian system of the military which is against a good governance system without the massive devolution of powers to the federating units for massive economic development and the sanctity of the Rule of Law.
The present system of governance does not protect the security of the lives and properties and assets of Nigerian citizens which is a fundamental a priori disposition of governance to prevent inevitable anarchy and failure of the state.”
Source: Vanguard