Nwabueze, Oyebode, Okoko, others seek new constitution

Some eminent Nigerians rose from a meeting in Lagos yesterday,
demanding a new constitution as a precursor of restructuring.

To the Leaders of Thought, restructuring cannot be implemented
by an amendment of the 1999 Constitution. A new constitution
approved by the people at a referendum is necessary, they said.

Addressing reporters after the meeting, the group’s chairman,
Prof. Ben Nwabueze, noted that while the clamour for restructuring
was sweeping across the country, “the National Assembly is still
regaling us with talks about constitution amendment, buttressing
its position with the erroneous assertion that the 1999
Constitution can only be amended or altered”.

Nwabueze said: “The view that the 1999 Constitution cannot be
completely abolished and replaced by a new Constitution is
erroneous because the National Assembly fails to take into account
the fact that the 1999 Constitution is only a schedule to Decree 24
of 1999”.

He argued that the Decree is an existing law under section 315
of the 1999 Constitution and, like all existing laws, can be
repealed by the National Assembly.

“We think the way for Nigeria is for the people, in exercise of
the power inherent in them as a sovereign people, to make, through
a referendum, a new Constitution, consisting a new political order.
The process must be led by a President, as the elected leader of
the people imbued by an ardour for change.”

The chairman said the group believed “that negotiated
restructuring, implemented under a new constitution, is the best
assurance for the realisation of our desire for one Nigeria”. “We
members of Southern Leaders of Thought are committed patriots,
imbued with an abiding faith in one Nigeria, and the belief that
the majority of Nigerians share the same faith.”

Nwabueze urged the Federal Government to give the people an
opportunity to negotiate changes in governmental structures needed
to accomplish their desires, believing that appropriate structures
must be put in place for good governance.

He told reporters that the leader of Indigenous People of Biafra
(IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, had mandated him to tell the Federal
Government that he (Kanu) would caution his followers to slow down
or call off the struggle for actualisation of Biafra if the
government accepts the Leaders of Thought’s position on
restructuring. According to Nwabueze, Kanu also promised to back
down on the threat to disrupt the 2019 elections.

Nwabueze said in a country with a vast expanse of territory,
with diversity of ethnic nationalities, with divergent interests
and outlook, a federal system is the most appropriate for us. We,
therefore, demand the kind of federalism that existed under the
1960 and 1963 Constitutions, he stated.

According to him, the essential purpose of restructuring is to
enable the component ethnic nationalities grouped together by
affinity of culture or language or territorial congruity to govern
themselves in matters of internal concerns.

He identified the factors that negate true federalism in Nigeria
as over concentration of political power and resources at the
centre. A way out, according to him is to revisit the exclusive and
concurrent legislative lists with a view to devolving power to the
States.

At the meeting were Prof Kimse Okoko, Chief Solomon Asemota
(SAN), Prof Sola Ehindero and Prof Akin Oyebode.

Some eminent Nigerians rose from a meeting in Lagos yesterday,
demanding a new constitution as a precursor of
restructuring.

To the Leaders of Thought, restructuring cannot be implemented
by an amendment of the 1999 Constitution. A new constitution
approved by the people at a referendum is necessary, they said.

Addressing reporters after the meeting, the group’s chairman,
Prof. Ben Nwabueze, noted that while the clamour for restructuring
was sweeping across the country, “the National Assembly is still
regaling us with talks about constitution amendment, buttressing
its position with the erroneous assertion that the 1999
Constitution can only be amended or altered”.

Nwabueze said: “The view that the 1999 Constitution cannot be
completely abolished and replaced by a new Constitution is
erroneous because the National Assembly fails to take into account
the fact that the 1999 Constitution is only a schedule to Decree 24
of 1999”.

He argued that the Decree is an existing law under section 315
of the 1999 Constitution and, like all existing laws, can be
repealed by the National Assembly.

“We think the way for Nigeria is for the people, in exercise of
the power inherent in them as a sovereign people, to make, through
a referendum, a new Constitution, consisting a new political order.
The process must be led by a President, as the elected leader of
the people imbued by an ardour for change.”

The chairman said the group believed “that negotiated
restructuring, implemented under a new constitution, is the best
assurance for the realisation of our desire for one Nigeria”. “We
members of Southern Leaders of Thought are committed patriots,
imbued with an abiding faith in one Nigeria, and the belief that
the majority of Nigerians share the same faith.”

Nwabueze urged the Federal Government to give the people an
opportunity to negotiate changes in governmental structures needed
to accomplish their desires, believing that appropriate structures
must be put in place for good governance.

He told reporters that the leader of Indigenous People of Biafra
(IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, had mandated him to tell the Federal
Government that he (Kanu) would caution his followers to slow down
or call off the struggle for actualisation of Biafra if the
government accepts the Leaders of Thought’s position on
restructuring. According to Nwabueze, Kanu also promised to back
down on the threat to disrupt the 2019 elections.

Nwabueze said in a country with a vast expanse of territory,
with diversity of ethnic nationalities, with divergent interests
and outlook, a federal system is the most appropriate for us. We,
therefore, demand the kind of federalism that existed under the
1960 and 1963 Constitutions, he stated.

According to him, the essential purpose of restructuring is to
enable the component ethnic nationalities grouped together by
affinity of culture or language or territorial congruity to govern
themselves in matters of internal concerns.

He identified the factors that negate true federalism in Nigeria
as over concentration of political power and resources at the
centre. A way out, according to him is to revisit the exclusive and
concurrent legislative lists with a view to devolving power to the
States.

At the meeting were Prof Kimse Okoko, Chief Solomon Asemota
(SAN), Prof Sola Ehindero and Prof Akin Oyebode.