Those Canvassing Brand-New Constitution Should Perish The Thought — Senate

•As CJN Canvasses Amendment Of Outdated Laws

Deputy Senate President and Chairman of the Senate Committee on
the Review of the 1999 Constitution, Senator Ovie Omo Agege has
advised those canvassing for a brand new Constitution for the
nation to perish the thought.

Senator Omo Agege gave the admonition, on Thursday, in his
opening remarks at the national public hearing of the Senate
Committee on the Review of the Constitution held in Abuja.

Certain eminent Nigerians and socio-cultural organisations have
dismissed the existing Constitution as unworkable and advocated for
a new document.

But Senator Omo Agege noted that the National Assembly was only
vested with statutory powers to amend the Constitution and not
write a new one for the nation.

He said: “Now, some of our compatriots have urged that rather
than amending the Constitution, we should make a new Constitution
altogether. We respect this opinion, and we believe it is the 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 a similar provision or provide a 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.”

The Deputy Senate President who urged Nigerians to use the
opportunity provided by the ongoing exercise to ventilate their
views assured that no genuine submissions from any individual or
group would be discountenanced.

“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
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.”

In his goodwill message, Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice
Ibrahim Tanko Muhammad, represented by Justice Ejembi Eko of the
Supreme Court demanded the review of certain laws.

The CJN who lamented that justices of the apex court are
overwhelmed with cases specifically asked the lawmakers to take
cognisance of Paragraph 10. 1 of the National Judicial Policy of
the National Judicial Council (NJC) which states: “Outdated laws
should be amended to reflect the present-day reality in Nigeria and
enhance the Administration of Justice.”

•As CJN Canvasses Amendment Of Outdated Laws

Deputy Senate President and Chairman of the Senate Committee on
the Review of the 1999 Constitution, Senator Ovie Omo Agege has
advised those canvassing for a brand new Constitution for the
nation to perish the thought.

Senator Omo Agege gave the admonition, on Thursday, in his
opening remarks at the national public hearing of the Senate
Committee on the Review of the Constitution held in Abuja.

Certain eminent Nigerians and socio-cultural organisations have
dismissed the existing Constitution as unworkable and advocated for
a new document.

But Senator Omo Agege noted that the National Assembly was only
vested with statutory powers to amend the Constitution and not
write a new one for the nation.

He said: “Now, some of our compatriots have urged that rather
than amending the Constitution, we should make a new Constitution
altogether. We respect this opinion, and we believe it is the 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 a similar provision or provide a 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.”

The Deputy Senate President who urged Nigerians to use the
opportunity provided by the ongoing exercise to ventilate their
views assured that no genuine submissions from any individual or
group would be discountenanced.

“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
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.”

In his goodwill message, Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice
Ibrahim Tanko Muhammad, represented by Justice Ejembi Eko of the
Supreme Court demanded the review of certain laws.

The CJN who lamented that justices of the apex court are
overwhelmed with cases specifically asked the lawmakers to take
cognisance of Paragraph 10. 1 of the National Judicial Policy of
the National Judicial Council (NJC) which states: “Outdated laws
should be amended to reflect the present-day reality in Nigeria and
enhance the Administration of Justice.”