Senate, National Confab Canvass New Constitution

The Senate last Wednes
day initiated fresh amendment to the 1999 Constitution to empower the President to propose an entirely new statute in place of the existing one, as delegates at the ongoing National Conference also canvassed for a new constitution that would reflect the wishes and aspirations of Nigerians.
Accordingly, the Senate has fixed voting on the new amendment for next Wednesday when members are expected to officially decide on it.
Presenting the reports of his committee (Senate Committee on Constitution Review) to the Senate last Wednesday, the Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, explained that, “the aim of this insertion is to make provision for the President in addition to the National Assembly to initiate the process of a new constitution.”
He explained that an amendment has been proposed to an earlier proposal for insertion of a new clause that empowers the National Assembly to introduce a “new constitution” to the effect that the President of the Federal Republic could introduce a new constitution to the country through the National Assembly using the report of the National Conference.
Meanwhile, a former Secretary to the Federal Government, who is also a delegate at the conference, Chief Olu Falae, has called for a new constitution that would replace the country’s presidential system of  government.
Speaking at the conference in Abuja, the former presidential candidate of the Alliance for Democracy (AD), noted that the current presidential system of government was alien to Nigeria and therefore had not worked in favour of the country.
He blamed the country’s under-development on the collapse of regional and parliamentary system of government, saying, “the first thing we did was that we murdered regional government.  It was the regional government that did all these we are celebrating.  They had enough resources and support to build roads and schools”.
According to him, “presidential system vests authority in one person either as governor or as president, but parliamentary system vests authority in the collective – the cabinet.  It is more inclusive”.
Another delegate, Annkio Briggs, a delegate representing the Federal Government, said the 1999 constitution was no longer viable considering its inconsistency.
She said it was high time Nigeria had a new constitution that would promote equality and selflessness.
“The Constitution of 1999 is no longer acceptable to the people of Nigeria.  Therefore, we need a constitution that will be based on justice and brotherhood, not greed for power and selfishness,” she said.

Delegates at the on-going National Conference during a resumed plenary in Abuja, last Monday.

Boye Salau