Forget new Constitution, Senate tells agitators

The Senate has said the National Assembly cannot produce a brand new Constitution for Nigeria as being agitated by some concerned groups and individuals.

Deputy Senate President and Chairman of the Senate Committee on the Review of the 1999 Constitution, Ovie Omo-Agege, stated this in his address at the National Public Hearing on the review of the Constitution in Abuja.

Afenifere, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Arewa Consultative Forum, Chief Afe Babalola (SAN) and former Minister of Education, Dr. Oby Ezekwesili, among others have advised the National Assembly to establish a process that will lead to the making of a new constitution for the country.

But Omo-Agege said while the agitations were germane, the 1999 Constitution (as amended) does not include a clause on how to produce a fresh document.

He said, “As we work towards an inclusive amendment process underpinned by the public good, free from manipulations by self-interested or partisan actors and not dominated by destructive or short-term motives, I encourage you all to make your inputs with candour and be guided, very importantly, by national interest.

“We are ready to listen closely to every view and reflect on every proposal and give due consideration to every contribution.

“Now, some of our compatriots have urged that rather than amend the Constitution, we should make a new one altogether.

“We respect this opinion, and we believe it is a most desirable proposition. However, we are conducting this exercise in accordance with the extant legal order, which is the 1999 Constitution.

“Specifically, Section 9 of the Constitution empowers the National Assembly to alter the provisions of the Constitution and prescribes the manner in which it is to be done.

“Unfortunately, it does not make similar provision or provide mechanism for replacing or re-writing an entirely new Constitution.

“To embark on any process without prior alteration of Section 9 of the Constitution to provide the mode through which an entirely new Constitution could be made would amount to gross violation of our oath of allegiance to the Constitution.

“In other words, it will take a new constitutional amendment to be able to give Nigerians a most desired new constitution. It would be unconstitutional to do otherwise.”