A former Secretary-General of the Commonwealth, Chief Emeka Anyaoku, has asserted that addressing Nigeria’s insecurity, economic crisis, infrastructure deficit, and other national challenges requires the adoption of a credible constitution.
He made this known at the ongoing National Summit on the Future of Nigeria’s Constitutional Democracy, taking place at the Transcorp Hilton, Abuja.
Anyaoku stated, “In organizing this National Summit, the Patriots are of the view that any controversial fact that I have mentioned can be more effectively reversed if our pluralistic country is given a more credible and truly better Constitution, democratically made by the Nigerian people.
“A Constitution that would be in sync with the Constitution of the United States—a Constitution of successful pluralistic countries around the world.
“To those who say that the fate of a country depends primarily on its leadership, I say that the Constitution from which the system of governance is derived largely determines the character of the people who get elected or appointed to govern the country from the three arms of the government.”
The summit, organised by the Nigeria Political Summit Group in collaboration with the Eminent Patriots of Nigeria, is aimed at developing a new constitution to help reposition the country.
Anyaoku further noted that the current 1999 Constitution, even as amended, was imposed on the nation by the military regime.
He stated, “First, Nigeria is a pluralistic country, and like all successful pluralistic countries around the world, for its stability and maximal development, its constitution must address its own problems.
“Second, it must address its pluralism by being formulated by elected representatives of its diverse people.
“Our present 1999 Constitution, as amended, is not such a constitution. It was not democratically formulated. It was instead imposed on the country through a decree by the military administration.
“And the governance system derived from it is not only non-inclusive, but also induces over-expectation of the nation’s resources on administration rather than on capital development.”
He emphasised the necessity for a new constitution, stressing that it is a decision that must be made by the Nigerian people themselves.
Anyaoku added that, “There are also equally incontrovertible facts about the current state-of-the-art crisis and the political situation in Nigeria.
“First, there is serious insecurity of life and property, with kidnappings and killings happening virtually every day in most parts of the country—especially in the Middle Belt, the Northeast, and the Northwest regions—where not only huge numbers of lives and property are regularly lost, but also farmers are no longer able to go to their farms, thereby impacting adversely on the country.
“Secondly, Nigeria has become the poverty capital of the world, with the levels of poverty and suffering among the citizens rising rather than diminishing. And thirdly, the development of poverty in the country has become a source of poverty in the country.”
The ex-Commonwealth chief further said, “The country’s infrastructure is generally lagging behind, including especially in health and education facilities, which in many cases are no longer fit for purpose. Importantly, there is an eroding sense of national unity.
“We are a pluralistic country that is still struggling to become a nation. Again, there is a palpable mood of hopelessness and lack of confidence in the future among the growing population of our young people. And overall, the President’s 36 Federation Units are obviously incapable of generating and sustaining the pace of national development achieved in the early years of our independence under the 1963 Constitution.”
He expressed hope that the Summit will produce recommendations on the key elements of the desired new Constitution and the process of its actualization.
The former Secretary-General of the Commonwealth added, “The key elements, I hope, that will be discussed should include such questions as: presidential or parliamentary system, tenure and rotation of the heads of government at the national and subnational levels, unicameral or bicameral legislature, normative federating units, powers of the national and the subnational governments, structure of the security agencies, political parties and their organization, management of the country’s resources, and indeed other important features of the constitution.
“And in considering the process of actualizing the new Constitution, I hope there will be new emphasis on ensuring that it is consolidated by representatives specifically elected for that purpose by the Nigerian people who, in order to give it legitimacy, would have to endorse it in a national referendum.”
In addition to Anyaoku, other prominent figures present at the summit include, a former Ogun State Governor Gbenga Daniel; Senator Ben Obi; Professor Pat Utomi; Senator Josephine Anenih; a former Education Minister, Obiageli Ezekwesili; constitutional lawyer, Mike Ozekhome (SAN) and human rights advocate, Femi Falana among others.
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