Confab: Delegates want new Nigerian constitution

Some delegates to the National Conference on Monday called for the outcome of the conference to be subjected to a referendum that would lead to a new constitution to replace the 1999 Constitution.

The delegates made the call while proposing amendments to a report of the conference Committee on Law, Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Reforms during a plenary in Abuja.

The committee in its 117 page report, expressed concern about the legal status of the National Conference and its outcome.

It stated that there was a legal vacuum that needed to be filled because Nigerians were not comfortable with the 1999 Constitution, saying it was a creation of the military.

The committee urged the conference to draft a bill for an amendment of the 1999 Constitution or emergence of an entirely new constitution.

The committee’s report also recommended that the president should forward the proposed draft bill to the National Assembly for further actions.

“In this regard, a form of interface with the National Assembly should be initiated by the president.

“Conference recommendations should be taken to the court of public opinion or referendum, if the need arises,” the report stated.

One of the delegates, Steve Aluko, representing Civil Society Organisations (CSO) commended the courage of the committee in proposing a referendum if needed.

He said there was no doubt that the present constitution required a replacement, adding that in view of this, there was need to subject conference outcome to a referendum.

“What will come out of this conference should stand the test of the popularity of a referendum,” he said.

Akin Oyebode, a delegate representing Ekiti State, said Nigeria would come up with a new constitution if 51 per cent of the electorate adopted the resolution of the national conference.

“On the implementation of the confab resolution, I believe a referendum should be adopted so that the people will have the right to pass judgment on the proceedings.

“If 51 per cent of the electorate adopts our resolution, it’s my humble submission that a new constitution will have come out of our deliberations.”

He said that the present constitution was a military dictate and had expired.

On his part, Colonel Tony Nyiam, representing Federal Government, said the only way to show that Nigeria was operating a federal state was in the structures of governance, particularly with regard to the judiciary.

“The only way to show that we are a federal state is to show it in the structures of our governance and where else can this be done but in the judiciary,” he said.

Yinka Odumakin, a delegate representing South West, said the difficulty encountered by the National Assembly in reviewing the 1999 Constitution was an indication that there was need for a new constitution.

“The National Assembly has been trying to amend it but it is not amendable. What we need is a brand new constitution, a referendum and that is very important,” he said.

NAN recalls that President Goodluck Jonathan, while inaugurating the national conference on March 17 attested to the fact that the sovereignty belonged to the people.