LEGAL luminary and Human rights lawyer, Mike Ozekhome has dismissed the ongoing Constitution Amendment exercise being embarked upon by the two arms of National Assembly (NASS) with a wave of the hand.
The Constitutional lawyer also described the exercise as an effort in futility, pointing out that NASS lacks the constitutional powers to amend the Nigerian Constitution.
Speaking on Wednesday on African Independent Television (AIT) breakfast programme Kaakaki on the topic: “Constitution Amendments or People’s Constitution”, Ozekhome argued that NASS requires the input of the Nigerian people before they can tinker with the Constitution.
The Activist /lawyer insisted that the current Nigerian Constitution is “fundamentally flawed and cannot be amended”, adding that the proper thing to do is to draft what he called “a brand new People’s Constitution”.
Said he: “I am saying it without any fear of contradictions that Nigeria needs a brand new People’s Constitution. The current one is totally flawed. It was handed to us by the military regime of General Abdulsalami Abubakar. It has to be changed entirely”.
According to Ozekhome: “the nearest “People’s Constitution” Nigeria had was the 1963 Constitution and by far one can add the 2014 National Conference Report under ex-President Goodluck Jonathan which also captured the will of the Nigerian people”.
He said the current Constitution is the fallout of the successive military Decrees first introduced by late Head of State, General Johnson Thomson Umunnakwe Aguiyi-Ironsi and later General Yakubu Gowon (Rtd.).
“The military regime of Aguiyi- Ironsi; Yakubu Gowon and others promulgated Decrees that have held the country down till date and best we can do to free the country is to come up with a brand new “People’s Constitution”, Ozekhome concluded.
About The Author
