Former President Olusegun Obasanjo says Nigeria needs right operators of the constitution, not a perfect constitution, to lead in good governance and promotion of welfare and wellbeing of the citizenry.
Mr Obasanjo stated this in his remarks at the opening of a three-day National Summit on the Future of Nigeria’s Constitutional Democracy, organised by The Patriots, in collaboration with Nigeria Political Summit Group, on Wednesday in Abuja.
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The former president, in his remarks read by the Secretary-General, Eminent Patriots, Olawale Okunniyi, said that while a nation’s constitution must reflect the history, the constituents and the aspiration of its people, “no constitution is perfect.”
He, however, said that the operators played key role in the implementation and promotion of the wellbeing of the citizens.
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“From my experience in operating our constitution, I will be the first to point out some areas of our constitution that need amendment. However, for me, no constitution can ever be regarded as perfect.
“But whatever the strength or weakness of a constitution, the most important issue, to my own understanding and experience, is the operators of the constitution.
“The best constitution can be perverted and distorted by the operators and we have experienced that all over Africa, Nigeria not exempted.
“I am more concerned about the operators of the constitution to lead in good governance and promotion of welfare and wellbeing of the citizenry.
“No matter what you do to Nigerian constitution, if the operators of the constitution, for the past one decade and a half, remain unchanged and continue in the same manner, the welfare and wellbeing of Nigerians will continue to be sacrificed on the altar of selfishness.
“It will continue to be sacrificed on the altar of self-centeredness, corruption, impunity and total disregard of the constitution, decency, morality, integrity and honesty,’’ he said.
Mr Obasanjo said that at this crucial time, the operators mattered more and that the searchlight should be on them.
A former Governor of Akwa-Ibom, Victor Attah, in his remarks, also read by Mr Okunniyi, stated that the 1999 Constitution was not a people’s constitution.
Mr Attah said that the summit was not another routine conference, but an opportunity to confront the fundamental contradiction that Nigeria was governed by the will of the people, but by a constitution that robbed the citizens of their sovereignty.
He described the 1999 constitution as a military decree, imposed without the consent of the people
“The military suspended the 1963 Constitution which remains the last legal expression of our people’s collective will and agreed terms of condition for staying together,” he said.
The former governor said that the 1963 Constitution was suspended, repealed, proscribed or abrogated.
“We, from the South-south region, join other zones across this country who now agree that this union is not working as it is.
“It can only be sustained if it is restructured on the basis of equity, justice and mutual consent,” he said.
According to him, Nigeria’s democracy is not working, while people’s trust in the government has also declined.
This, he said, was due to the country’s departure from a functional federal system to an imperial, presidential, unitary system of government.
“We, in consultation with other leaders and The Compatriots – a group I chair – believe the following must be addressed.
“Sovereignty must return to the people. We must get rid of this unitary system and reinstate the federal system of governance that our founding fathers had agreed to.
“True federalism must guarantee maximum autonomy to the federating units.
“Cost of politics must be brought down to open space for inclusiveness and real leadership.
“Unicameral legislature with ministers appointed only from elected representatives,” he said.
Mr Attah advised Nigerians to take advantage of the summit to address contending issues, saying: “We must not be afraid to change, rather be afraid not to change.
“Nigeria’s unity will only be preserved through fairness and justice – not force or fear.
“And if we miss this opportunity, the next chapter may be one of irreversible fragmentation. I believe and I know many of you also believe, that time is running out,” he said.
On his part, Gbenga Daniel, the co-chairman, Organising Committee of the summit, described the occasion as a significant step in Nigeria’s journey toward unity, progress and national development.
“This summit is a citizen-driven constitutional intervention, stemming from months and even years of relentless advocacy, extensive consultations and a growing sense of public urgency.
“We are here because the existing structure, established by the 1999 Constitution, has consistently proven to be inadequate in effectively addressing the core issues related to governance, equity, inclusion and national cohesion.
“Our agenda for the coming days is ambitious but aims to be straightforward and focused,” he said.
The former Ogun governor said that the summit would scrutinise vital themes, including: the organisation and structure of the Nigerian federation, the role and functioning of local governments and traditional institutions and resource control and fiscal federalism.
He said that it would also look at electoral and judicial reforms, security concerns nationwide and the rights and responsibilities of citizenship in a 21st century democracy.
“More importantly, we will work diligently to ensure that no voice is too small and that no group is left behind.
“This summit is multi-generational, spanning different regions, and inclusive of various sectors, truly embodying the Nigeria we aspire to build,” he said.
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Mr Daniel, who is the Senate Committee Chairman on Navy, urged Nigerian youths, women, civil society actors as well as traditional and religious leaders to be involved in discussions.
Their involvement and voices, he said, were crucial in building a brighter, more inclusive and resilient future for all.
He said that the resolutions and proposals arising from the summit would be carefully documented, further refined and subsequently presented to both the presidency and the National Assembly for their considerations.
“Our intention is not to foster confrontation but to promote constructive collaboration and mutual understanding.
“It is imperative that we persuade our leaders—through reasoned argument, consensus-building and compelling evidence—that Nigeria is in dire need of a new constitutional framework that reflects the aspirations and realities of all its citizens,” he stated.
(NAN)
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