Charles Onyekamuo
5 October 2008
Onitsha — All Progressives Peoples Grand Alliance (APGA) has asked for a fresh federal constitution and said it was opposed to the proposed amendment of the 1999 Constitution by the National Assembly.
The party's National chairman, Chief Victor Umeh, who made the party's position known to THISDAY in Onitsha, at the weekend said, "it is not possible for the country to practice full blown democracy with a military constitution, more so when it is known that all the problems bedeviling Nigeria 's democracy presently are rooted in the 1999 Constitution.
He added that the National Assembly dominated by over 95 per cent of members of Peoples Democratic party (PDP) cannot be expected to cure the defects in this same constitution which its ruling government has deployed to great advantage.
"It will be foolhardy for Nigerians to expect the PDP dominated National Assembly to rid the country of the advantage which the faulty constitution had conferred on it. Nigerians should insist and demand for a new constitution to be written to guide our democracy", he said.
According to Umeh, instead of attempting to amend the constitution, the lawmakers should pass a law creating a Constituent Assembly to be charged with the responsibility of producing a new constitution for Nigeria and also bring the life of the present constitution to an end by May 29, 2011.
"If this is not done for the benefit of Nigerians and the proposed amendment allowed to go on, the outcome will be a ruse particularly as the senate committee chairman on information has said that the lawmakers will not be bothered with a clause by clause review of the constitution". All Progressives Peoples Grand Alliance (APGA) has asked for a fresh federal constitution and said it was opposed to the proposed amendment of the 1999 Constitution by the National Assembly.
The party's National chairman, Chief Victor Umeh, who made the party's position known to THISDAY in Onitsha, at the weekend said, "it is not possible for the country to practice full blown democracy with a military constitution, more so when it is known that all the problems bedeviling Nigeria 's democracy presently are rooted in the 1999 Constitution.
He added that the National Assembly dominated by over 95 per cent of members of Peoples Democratic party (PDP) cannot be expected to cure the defects in this same constitution which its ruling government has deployed to great advantage.
"It will be foolhardy for Nigerians to expect the PDP dominated National Assembly to rid the country of the advantage which the faulty constitution had conferred on it. Nigerians should insist and demand for a new constitution to be written to guide our democracy", he said.
According to Umeh, instead of attempting to amend the constitution, the lawmakers should pass a law creating a Constituent Assembly to be charged with the responsibility of producing a new constitution for Nigeria and also bring the life of the present constitution to an end by May 29, 2011.
"If this is not done for the benefit of Nigerians and the proposed amendment allowed to go on, the outcome will be a ruse particularly as the senate committee chairman on information has said that the lawmakers will not be bothered with a clause by clause review of the constitution".
Umeh observed that constitution making, review or amendment is always a collective responsibility of all the people the constitution is made to serve and that the PDP dominated National Assembly cannot be said to be representing the overall opinions and interests of the Nigerian people.
All Progressives Peoples Grand Alliance (APGA) has asked for a fresh federal constitution and said it was opposed to the proposed amendment of the 1999 Constitution by the National Assembly.
The party's National chairman, Chief Victor Umeh, who made the party's position known to THISDAY in Onitsha, at the weekend said, "it is not possible for the country to practice full blown democracy with a military constitution, more so when it is known that all the problems bedeviling Nigeria 's democracy presently are rooted in the 1999 Constitution.
He added that the National Assembly dominated by over 95 per cent of members of Peoples Democratic party (PDP) cannot be expected to cure the defects in this same constitution which its ruling government has deployed to great advantage.
"It will be foolhardy for Nigerians to expect the PDP dominated National Assembly to rid the country of the advantage which the faulty constitution had conferred on it. Nigerians should insist and demand for a new constitution to be written to guide our democracy", he said.
According to Umeh, instead of attempting to amend the constitution, the lawmakers should pass a law creating a Constituent Assembly to be charged with the responsibility of producing a new constitution for Nigeria and also bring the life of the present constitution to an end by May 29, 2011.
"If this is not done for the benefit of Nigerians and the proposed amendment allowed to go on, the outcome will be a ruse particularly as the senate committee chairman on information has said that the lawmakers will not be bothered with a clause by clause review of the constitution". All Progressives Peoples Grand Alliance (APGA) has asked for a fresh federal constitution and said it was opposed to the proposed amendment of the 1999 Constitution by the National Assembly.
The party's National chairman, Chief Victor Umeh, who made the party's position known to THISDAY in Onitsha, at the weekend said, "it is not possible for the country to practice full blown democracy with a military constitution, more so when it is known that all the problems bedeviling Nigeria 's democracy presently are rooted in the 1999 Constitution.
He added that the National Assembly dominated by over 95 per cent of members of Peoples Democratic party (PDP) cannot be expected to cure the defects in this same constitution which its ruling government has deployed to great advantage.
"It will be foolhardy for Nigerians to expect the PDP dominated National Assembly to rid the country of the advantage which the faulty constitution had conferred on it. Nigerians should insist and demand for a new constitution to be written to guide our democracy", he said.
According to Umeh, instead of attempting to amend the constitution, the lawmakers should pass a law creating a Constituent Assembly to be charged with the responsibility of producing a new constitution for Nigeria and also bring the life of the present constitution to an end by May 29, 2011.
"If this is not done for the benefit of Nigerians and the proposed amendment allowed to go on, the outcome will be a ruse particularly as the senate committee chairman on information has said that the lawmakers will not be bothered with a clause by clause review of the constitution". Umeh observed that constitution making, review or amendment is always a collective responsibility of all the people the constitution is made to serve and that the PDP dominated National Assembly cannot be said to be representing the overall opinions and interests of the Nigerian people. Umeh observed that constitution making, review or amendment is always a collective responsibility of all the people the constitution is made to serve and that the PDP dominated National Assembly cannot be said to be representing the overall opinions and interests of the Nigerian people.
Umeh observed that constitution making, review or amendment is always a collective responsibility of all the people the constitution is made to serve and that the PDP dominated National Assembly cannot be said to be representing the overall opinions and interests of the Nigerian people.
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