Tinubu has assured a group of eminent Nigerians under the aegis of The Patriots that he will review their request to send an executive bill to the National Assembly for setting up National Constituent Assembly that will come up with a draft constitution and the insertion of referendum in the constitution.
By Emma Ogbuehi
President Bola Tinubu has assured a group of eminent Nigerians under the aegis of The Patriots that he will review their request to send an executive bill to the National Assembly for setting up National Constituent Assembly that will come up with a draft constitution and the insertion of referendum in the constitution.
Tinubu’s assurance was in response to the demand by The Patriots led by the former Commonwealth General Secretary, Chief Emeka Anyaoku, for him to send an Executive Bill to the National Assembly, and to convene a National Constituent Assembly that will draft a new constitution for the country. The elder statesmen made he request during their meeting with the President in Abuja.
“As you present this, just believe that it will be reviewed, and I commit myself to the belief that you want a stable and prosperous Nigeria,” President Tinubu told the group.
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The president, while receiving The Patriots at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, emphasized that retooling the economy for sustainable growth and development is a major priority of his administration.
The President also assured the group that their request for the convening of a national constituent assembly with the mandate to draft a new constitution would be reviewed.
Chief Anyaoku, speaking on behalf of The Patriots, appealed to the President to send an executive bill to the National Assembly, proposing two measures:
“The convening of a national constituent assembly with the mandate to produce a draft people’s democratic constitution. The constituent assembly should be of directly elected individuals, on a non-political basis, from the 36 states of the federation, possibly three individuals per state, and one from the FCT.
“They should be assisted by seven constitutional lawyers, one drawn from each of the six geo-political zones and the FCT. The deliberations of the constituent assembly should take into full account the 1960/63 constitutions, as well as the recommendations of the 2014 National Conference and indeed of the various national conferences that considered the Nigerian constitutions.”
The Patriots also requested legislating for a national plebiscite to which the draft constitution emerging from the constituent assembly should be subjected.
In response, Tinubu said: “I want to assure all of you that, as I listened to your two major requests on the path to referendum and that should lead to constitutional measures that will fit our diversity and governance so that we avoid conflicts and break-ups.
“I believe in the unity of this country, and I want to assure you that whatever is necessary to put happiness and good governance in the hands of all Nigerians is what I would do,” the president said.
President Tinubu also noted that the clamour for constitutional reforms is a longstanding issue in national discourse.
He acknowledged the examples presented by The Patriots on pluralistic countries, such as Canada and India, which have maintained unity by addressing their diversity through their constitutions.
“The avoidance of chaos is necessary to build this country and move its aspirations forward for the benefit of all of us.
“I am currently preoccupied with economic reform. That is my first priority. Once this is in place, as soon as possible, I will look at other options, including constitutional review as recommended by you and other options,” the President said.
Chief Anyaoku expressed confidence in President Tinubu’s ability to lead the constitutional transformation, citing his personal record as one of the greatest champions of Nigeria’s struggle for democracy.