BY LEVI JOHNSON
The Federal Republic of Nigeria is expected to have the people’s constitution in 2022 before the 2023 general elections that will produce the next president by May 29 same year.
This initiative for a new constitution is coming at the backdrop of the civil strife, ethnic violence and Kidnapping across the country.
In this regard, leaders of the National Consultative Front, NCF, a frontline political pressure group have concluded arrangement to convoke what they termed, the people’s National Conference in May 2021.
NCFront said the forum would serve as where Nigerians will converge, brainstorm on national burning issues, with a view to coming up with workable solutions.
They said the Conference has become very imperative because they are disappointed by the Federal Government’s inability and failure to douse heightening ethnic violence and civil strife in Nigeria.
According to NCFront, the leaders are optimistic that the proposed People’s Constituent Assembly for Nigeria in May, would among others, curb heightening ethnic strife and looming civil anarchy in Nigeria.
They have resolved to consult with former Federal Commissioner for Information and South-South Leader, Chief Edwin Clark; former, Vice-Chancellor, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Professor Ango Abdullahi; Professor Woke Soyinka, Ahmed Joda, Professor Ben Nwabueze, Air Commodore Dan Suleiman, retd; former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Chief Olu Falae, State Governors, among others on the modalities of the People’s National Conference.
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The NCFront is coordinated by Prof. Pat Utomi, former Speaker, House of Representatives, Ghali Umar Na’abba; former President of Nigeria Bar Association, NBA, Olisa Agbakoba, SAN; Dr Hakeem Baba Ahmed; and Prof Kingsley Moghalu, Dr Obadiah Mailafia, Chidi Odinkalu, among others.
The statement signed by NCFront National Secretary, Olawale Okunniyi read: “The Leadership of the National Consultative Front, NCFront is compelled at this point to make further clarifications on its agenda to rescue and save Nigeria announced on Tuesday during the historic National Address of Leaders of Conscience in Nigeria as follows:
“Worried by the heightening ethnic violence, civil strife and looming anarchy in the country, the leadership of the National Consultative Front, NCFront has set up a national consensus committee to immediately work out inclusive agreements among key leaders of thought and eminent political icons in the country on how to convoke an independent citizens’ driven pan Nigerian constitutional conference of ethnic nationalities, indigenous peoples and various civil society interests in Nigeria by May 1st 2021 to prevent an impending civil war in the country.
“This historical intervention of the NCFront has become unavoidable as it has become crystal clear to all Nigerian stakeholders and the leadership of our Front that the present Governments in Nigeria have become helpless, incapacitated and have lost the initiative in dealing with the looming anarchy in the country as ethnic violence, civil and religious strife in the country have now grown from worse to worst ever in the annals of Nigeria.
“This all-important national rescue committee is to be coordinated by Dr Olisa Agbakoba, SAN, Dr Hakeem Baba Ahmed, among others as stated in the National Address of NCFront Leaders of Conscience on Tuesday.
“The Committee which is expected to send out invitations to all ethnic nationalities, indigenous peoples and various civil society platforms for registration and participation in the People’s National Conference by March 2021, shall be expected to first consult with some selected eminent Statesmen, leaders of thought and State Governors like Prof Wole Soyinka, Dr Ahmed Joda, Prof Ben Nwabueze, SAN, Commodore Dan Suleiman, Chief Edwin Clark, Prof Ango Abdullahi, Chief Olu Falae and Governors, Samuel Otorm of Benue, Aminu Tambuwal of Sokoto, Nyeson Wike of Rivers, Babagana Zulum of Borno, Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti, Godwin Obaseki of Edo, Seyi Makinde of Oyo States, among others before the People’s National Conference is convoked.
“This People’s driven constitutional dialogue of the NCFront shall be expected to produce a draft People’s constitution for Nigeria by 1st October, 2022 and shall be expected to serve as the constitutional template upon which the next elections in Nigeria shall be conducted.
“However, some of the constitutional working documents already listed to guide the proposed national constitutional consultation include; the1963 constitution, the 1979 Constitution, the 1989 constitution, the 1995 constitution, the reports and draft constitutions of the constitutional conferences under Presidents Obasanjo and Jonathan in 2005 and 2014 respectively as well as the proposed Peoples’ Constitution produced by PRONACO Peoples’ National Conference chaired by Chief Anthony Enahoro of blessed memory.
“Meanwhile, the leadership of the NCFront also wishes to reaffirm that the Front’s final national consultative retreat, where the emergent mega political movement of the NCFront shall be launched has now been scheduled to hold between 29th and 31st March 2021.
“A suitable venue for this broad National Retreat of National Leaders of Conscience aimed at rescuing and saving Nigeria shall be announced in the first week of March 2021.”
