By Our Reporter
Former Secretary-General of the Commonwealth, Chief Emeka Anyaoku, and leader of the Patriots, a group of nonpartisan eminent Nigerians and leaders of thought, has reiterated the need for President Bola Tinubu to heed the call for a new people-oriented constitution and set modalities in place to achieve it.
Anyaoku spoke in Lagos on Monday, at the inauguration of a 17-member advocacy committee for the Actualization of the People’s Constitution.
Recall that The Patriots had earlier called on President Tinubu to advocate for the drafting of a new constitution for the country, to which they had advised the president to institute an executive bill to the National Assembly.
Responding, Tinubu had promised the Patriots that their suggestion would be addressed in due time, but that his priority was focused on fixing the economy for now.
The Patriot, on Monday, inaugurated a 17-member Constitution Committee led by Prof.Anthony Kila, a political economist and professor of strategy and development with the task of engaging major stakeholders and members of the public across the country, starting from the National Assembly.
The inauguration which was held online in Lagos was attended by members of the Patriot including General Ike Nwachukwu (Rtd.), Obong Victor Attah, Prof. Anya O. Anya, Dr. Bilikisu Magoro, Prof. Remi Sonaya, Elder Solomon Asemota, Ambassador Tokunbo Awolowo Dosunmu, and Senator Ben Obi.
Kila expressed gratitude to the members for the confidence reposed in him and promised that the committee would not fail in their assignment. He said they would do all they could to inform, engage, and get inputs from various members of the public.
The Patriot’s position was that the 1999 constitution even as amended lacks the legitimacy that can only be conferred on a constitution democratically made by the people of Nigeria.
Their view, therefore, is that Nigeria needs a new legitimate constitution that will provide a different governance system that can tackle more effectively the myriad challenges currently threatening its integrity.
The group of eminent Nigerians advocated a new constitution fashioned by non-partisan persons who were democratically elected on the basis of three from each of the 36 states of the federation and one from the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Abuja.
Other members of the Kila Constitution Committee are Sen. Shehu Sanni, Dr. Magoro, Alhaji Shettima Yerima, Dr. Otive Igbuzor, Samson Itodo, Madu Bright Allwell, Ann Kio Briggs, Affiong Affiong, Zaka Bala, Kayode Samuel, Fafa Dan Princewill and Salvation Alibor.