Nigerian Lawyer Urges President Tinubu to Create People-Centred Constitution
In a recent interview on Channels Television’s Sunday Politics show, Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) Mike Ozekhome called on President Bola Tinubu to muster the political will to create a people-centred constitution for Nigeria. As a member of The Patriots, a group of eminent Nigerians led by former Commonwealth Secretary-General Chief Emeka Anyaoku, Ozekhome emphasized the need for a new constitution that reflects the country’s values and aspirations.
When asked if President Tinubu has the political will to make a new constitution happen, Ozekhome replied, "Well, he should have the political will because these problems will not go away until we tackle it headlong." He also stressed that a new constitution is essential to addressing the country’s challenges, including poverty, insecurity, and corruption.
Ozekhome argued that the 1999 Constitution was military-imposed and not subject to any referendum. He believes that Nigeria needs an indigenous and people-centric constitution to redirect the country’s "journey of no destination." According to him, Nigeria lacks nationhood, and the brand new constitution must be subjected to the referendum of the people.
The senior advocate also emphasized the importance of a constituents’ assembly in creating a new constitution. He said, "We have to have a constituents’ assembly and only the National Assembly can pass a law in that regard. Then, the draft constitution will now be signed by Mr President and we will have a constitution."
Ozekhome’s comments come in the wake of the 2014 National Conference Report, which recommended constitutional amendments, community policing, fiscal federalism, and restructuring, among other things. The report was produced after a five-month national dialogue that brought together 494 Nigerians from all walks of life. However, the recommendations have not been implemented by successive administrations.
In his final remarks, Ozekhome emphasized that economic reforms are good but must not be prioritized over a people-centred constitution. He urged the National Assembly to agree to a new constitution for the problems of Nigeria to vanish.
