A constitutional lawyer and panelist at the National Constitutional Dialogue, Dr. Tunji Abayomi, has bemoaned the 1999 Constitution of the country, saying that ‘it is depriving minority Nigerians’, The Punch reports.
The Punch claimed Mr. Abayomi made this disclosure on the heels of the colloquium tagged, ‘National dialogue on the future of Nigeria, ’ which was held at the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs, in Lagos State, on Monday.
According to the lawyer who spoke with Arise TV on its Morning Show programme, on Tuesday, the constitution is anti-people and needs to be urgently reviewed for the benefit of Nigerians.
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He said, “If we enhance the concept of ‘Nigerianity’. We can build a great nation. There’s no country without minority sects, but the law takes care of them. Every nation, to a certain extent, is diverse, but the individuals are taken care of by the law.
“Once you have a law that protects the rights of citizens, you don’t have to worry about the minority. The whole essence of the commissions is to ensure the protection of the citizens.
“The problem we have in Nigeria today is that we don’t have a constitution of the people. A constitution where a minority will say that these are the issues that are troubling us.”
Alluding to popular Senegalese author Leopold Senghor to proffer a solution to the lingering Nigerian constitutional challenges, Abayomi said Nigeria needs to have a universal banquet and agree on the terms of our unity.
“We have never sat to agree on our terms of unity before. Lancaster was like a writ of summons (an official order for someone to appear in a court of law when they have been accused of committing an offence against someone). And then after Lancaster, we now ran into military that imposed the constitution, ” he added.
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The lawyer further called for lumping together as a federating unit while seeking the voice of Nigerians on the structure of the country’s constitution.
The PUNCH reports that Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, on Monday, joined former Commonwealth Secretary-General, Chief Emeka Anyaoku; former governors, notable diplomats, legal practitioners and other elder statesmen to demand a change in Nigeria’s Constitution.
The colloquium was held in honour of the late legal luminary, Prof. Ben Nwabueze.
In attendance were former Akwa Ibom State governor, Obong Victor Attah; ex-Cross River State Governor, Donald Duke; former Sokoto Governor, Senator Aminu Tambuwal; representative of the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adewunmi Olayigbade; Leader of Afenifere, Pa Ayo Adebanjo; a former Minister of Foreign Affairs, Gen. Ike Nwachukwu, the immediate past Governor of Ekiti State, Dr Kayode Fayemi, and ex-Ogun State governor, Otunba Gbenga Daniel.
Others included former Rivers Governor, Rotimi Amaechi; ex-Minister of Finance, Kalu Idika Kalu; former Governor of Osun, Rauf Aregbesola; former Military Governor of Ondo State and former Deputy National Chairman of PDP, Olabode George, ex-Delta Governor, James Ibori; pioneer Chief Executive Officer, Nigeria Economic Summit Group, Prof Anya O. Anya; and the keynote speaker, Chief Mike Ozekhome (SAN).