Lawyer Urges Holistic Review Of 1999 Constitution

A Port Harcourt based lawyer and human rights activist, Barr. ThankGod Nnah, has criticised the peacemeal review of the 1999 constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

Barr Nnah, a senior lawyer in the state, who stated this while chatting with newsmen at the weekend remarked that there ought to be a wholistic review of the 1999 constitution to suit the taste of Nigerians in contemporary times.

The Port Harcourt lawyer, who spoke against the backdrop of the intended review of the constitution by the National Assembly, noted that the 1999 constitution did not represent the wishes and aspirations of Nigerians as it was foisted upon the country by the military.

He stated that with the current happenings in the country, there was need to seek the consent of the federating unit on the way forward for the country.

He condemned the situation where Nigerians were no longer safe in their home country and pointed out that many segments of the federation were no longer comfortable with the present state of affairs.

Barr Nnah called for sovereign national as a way of brining peace to the troubled nation.

He flayed the killings in the North and noted that it was not the way forward. “We cannot be killing our brothers and sisters under one guise or the other. I know that all religious condemn taking of life. There is no reason why a group of people should find happiness in killing others. I believe that anybody finds happiness in killing another should visit the doctor,” he said.

The Port Harcourt lawyer called for stop to the killings in the North and stated that only sovereign national conference would address the yearnings and aspirations of the people.

“Nigeria needs a sovereign national conference, we cannot shy away from it. We cannot pretend about. The time is ripe for it. Unless we do something positive, there will continue to be Boko Haram in the North, Odua Peoples Congress (OPC) in the West, MASSOB in the East and Militants  in the South-South,” Nnah stated.

According to him, “all these are indicative of the state, the nation is. We deepen the crises if we fail to address them.

He urged Nigerians to see reasons why the convening of the sovereign national conference is necessary.