Chief Emeka Anyaoku, former Secretary-General of the Commonwealth, has asserted that Nigeria requires a new, inclusive, and democratic constitution to address its complex challenges and accommodate its diverse population. Anyaoku made this statement at a national summit in Abuja organized by The Patriots and the Nigerian Political Summit Group.
Anyaoku, who chaired the summit, argued that the current 1999 Constitution was not democratically formulated but was instead imposed on the country through a military decree. He contended that this constitution is not in sync with Nigeria’s pluralistic nature, leading to a governance system that is non-inclusive and results in excessive expenditure on administration rather than capital development.
According to the elder statesman, a new constitution is necessitated by pressing issues such as rising insecurity, high poverty rates, lagging infrastructure, and a lack of confidence in the future among the youth. He emphasized that only a constitution that accommodates Nigeria's plurality can effectively tackle these problems. Anyaoku also pointed out that the current 36 federating units are "incapable of generating and sustaining the pace of national development achieved in the early years of the country’s independence".
The summit, with the theme "Actualising a Constitutional Democracy That Works for All in Nigeria," aims to develop a viable and inclusive constitutional framework. The organizers plan to present a draft legislative bill for a new constitution to both the Presidency and the National Assembly. This draft is the product of nationwide consultations and inclusive political dialogue.
Anyaoku stressed the importance of ensuring that the new constitution is formulated by representatives specifically elected for that purpose by the Nigerian people. To ensure its legitimacy, he suggested that the constitution must be endorsed by the populace through a national referendum.
Prominent Nigerians, including Professor Wole Soyinka, General T.Y. Danjuma, and Dr. Oby Ezekwesili, are scheduled to address the delegates at the summit. Former President Olusegun Obasanjo also weighed in, stating in a letter to Anyaoku that Nigeria's problem lies more with its operators than with the constitution itself.
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