Attai Audu Jos.
Governor Simon Lalong of Plateau State and Chairman Northern Governi Forum has advised that the public hearing of the review of the 1999 Constitution should not be made an exercise that will go the way of previous ones that failed to address some key issues that are threatening the peace, security and unity of the country.
Lalong gave this charge during the opening ceremony of the zonal public hearing of the review of the 1999 Constitution in Jos on Wednesday..
Acccording to Governor Lalong, while several attempts have been made in the past to alter the Constitution in line with the yearnings of the people, not much seems to have been achieved despite the resources spent and time devoted.
” It is not proper to blame all the challenges of the country on the Constitution, it is however important that concerns raised about the current constitution which is the grundnorm that binds us together are addressed appropriately” .
Lalong argued that this is even more so when the clamour have persisted and rather than abate, are getting lauder saying this perhaps is the time to try something different and to this end, this public hearing is very important as it presents another opportunity for various interest groups to present their perspectives as to how they desire to see Nigeria administered.
“They are therefore afforded this platform to ventilate and make submissions as to what they want injected or removed from the 1999 Constitution to make it more responsive to the yearnings of all.”he said.
Earlier in his welcome address, the Deputy Senate President and Chairman Senate committee on the review of the 1999 Constitution Senator Omo-Agege noted that at the commencement of the 9th Senate, they have set for themselves a legislative agenda as a basis on which they are to be assessed .
Represented at the event by the chairman of the zonal committee of the review of the 1999 Constitution Senator Abdullahi Adamu representing Nassarawa West senatorial district at the National assembly, said sitting prominently in that agenda is the need to address by a way of Constitution amendments , topical issues like judicial and electoral reforms , local government autonomy and the devolution of powers.
He added that if they get those items through constitutional processes of alteration successfully, then Nigeria’s constitutional Democracy will be set on the right pedestal .
” Nigeria will take its pride of place among enviable constitutional democracies in the world . It is therefore with great pleasure that I convey the intention of the Senate to leverage on this constitutional Review exercise to achieve as many milestone as possible in one fell swoop.”Senator Adamu stressed.
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