Nigeria needs a new constitution to correct ongoing deterioration– Emeka Anyaoku

Nigeria needs a new constitution to correct ongoing deterioration– Emeka Anyaoku

 Emeka Anyaoku, former secretary-general of the Commonwealth,
says Nigeria needs a new constitution to address the “ongoing deterioration of
the situation” in the country.

 

Anyaoku spoke on Friday while delivering the 2023
convocation lecture at the Afe Babalola University, Ado Ekiti.

 

The convocation lecture was titled: “Management of
diversity: A major challenge to governance in pluralistic countries”.

 

Anyaoku said Nigeria’s diversity was managed properly during
the early years of the country’s independence.

 

He added that the military coup of 1966 destroyed the unity
of the country.

 

Anyaoku said there were no inter-regional tensions before
the 1966 military coup, noting that there was security and economic development
in the regions.

 

“But all this changed when the military intervened in the
country’s governance in January 1966 and changed the existing constitution,” he
said.

 

 “Under the
constitution of fewer and more viable federating new units that we had before
the military intervention, there was security in the country and a faster pace
of economic development in the region.

 

He averred that the current situation of the country is
“lamentable” because there is an “unprecedented level of divisiveness”.

 

“In contrast, today, if truth be told, the situation in our
country is lamentable. There is an unprecedented level of divisiveness and a
declining sense of national unity,” Anyaoku said.

 

“The economy is in the doldrums, with 133 million of our
population in multidimensional poverty.

 “There is great
insecurity throughout the land as we hear every day of killings and kidnappings
by unknown gunmen and marauding bandits.

 

“All our infrastructure, including power supply, roads, and
educational and health facilities, are in a poor state.

 

“Added to all this, there is a complete bastardisation of
our society’s ethical values and an unfathomable level of corruption evident in
the often reported massive looting and mismanagement of the country’s
resources, including the continuing unbridled theft of our crude oil.

 

‘A NEED FOR NEW
CONSTITUTION’

 

Anyaoku said Nigeria requires a new constitution that would
be developed by Nigerians to achieve the needed transformation.

 

“The crux of my submission in this lecture is that
considering the history of Nigeria over the last 63 years, to arrest the
ongoing deterioration of the situation in the country and to achieve the
desired transformation for the better.

 

 “We need a system of
government that not only addresses our diversity but is also based on a
constitution that can correctly be described as a Nigerian peoples’ constitution.

 

“Accordingly, I call on the presidency, in consultation with
the national assembly, instead of continuing to tinker with the 1999
constitution, to acknowledge the urgent necessity of a new constitution to be
made by the people of Nigeria.”

 

He asked President Bola Tinubu to “convene a national
constituent assembly” that will draft a new constitution.

 

Anyaoku added that the provisions of the 1963 and 1999
constitutions, as well as the recommendations of the 2014 national conference,
should be considered.

Source: Nigeria needs a new constitution to correct ongoing deterioration– Emeka Anyaoku

 - NigerianEye
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