28 February 2006
editorial
LAST week witnessed the preliminary steps in the nation's attempt to amend the 1999 Constitution. For two days, public hearings on the review of the Constitution simultaneously held in the country's six geo-political zones, with varying degrees of participation by the various strata of contending forces.
Lafia, Nasarawa State hosted views from the North Central Zone; Katsina, Katsina State was for the North West Zone, Maiduguri, Borno State was the centre for the North East Zone, Abakaliki, Ebonyi State for South East; Osogbo, Osun State for the South-West and Port Harcourt, Rivers State hosted the South-South Zone.
Protests and boycotts marred the exercise that was expected to usher in an acceptable Constitution for Nigerians due to the alleged third term bid of the present administration. In some of the six zones, some of the protesters were arrested.
Some people still made their inputs. Remarkably, the third term agenda may continue to be seen as speculation, but some groups at the public hearings supported. Ethnic groups like Afenifere and Ohanaeze Ndigbo made their positions known. Several other groups presented papers indicating their understanding of an ideal Nigerian Constitution.
We have canvassed in previous editorials that the 1999 Constitution is deficient in some aspects. It falls short of meeting the aspirations of units comprising the federation. This view has been widely expressed publicly by notable groups and Nigerians.
A constitutional review should be a very thorough affair if it is to meet the expectations of Nigerians. We do not think that two days would be enough to articulate the expectations of Nigerians and marry them into a Constitution that would assuage the fears of Nigerians and address grievances that threaten our collective existence.
The States Houses of Assembly and the National Assembly have a greater assignment ahead of them. Nigerians are agreeable on the needs to amend the Constitution, but they expect the amendments would be done in a transparent manner that would lay to rest the anxieties about the hidden agenda.
Let there be no doubt that the Constitution requires amendments. There should be no doubts too, that these amendments must be selfless and aimed purposely at the welfare and the security of the people, which according to the Constitution, is the primary duty of government.
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