In a significant push for constitutional reform, The Patriots, a group of prominent Nigerian statesmen led by Chief Emeka Anyaoku, met with President Bola Tinubu at the Presidential Villa in Abuja on Friday.
The group said Nigeria needs a new, “people democratic pluralistic constitution,” and the process should begin with the convening of a constituent assembly.
Chief Anyaoku, a former Secretary-General of the Commonwealth, emphasised the urgent need for a pluralistic constitution to address Nigeria’s development challenges.
Speaking to State House correspondents after the meeting, he drew parallels with other nations, noting that countries failing to manage their pluralism through federal constitutions have often disintegrated, citing examples of Yugoslavia, Czechoslovakia and Sudan.
In contrast, he pointed out that countries with pluralistic constitutions, like India and Canada, have remained strong and united.
The Patriots outlined a specific process for this constitutional overhaul, urging Tinubu to convene a constituent assembly tasked with drafting the new constitution.
The group said the President should forward an executive bill to the National Assembly, legislating for a national referendum.
It added that the draft constitution produced by the Constituent Assembly would then be subject to the referendum to ensure legitimacy through direct public approval.
Anyaoku stressed that this would give the new constitution the legitimacy it requires, rooting it firmly in the will of the Nigerian people.
Speaking on the ongoing #EndBadGovernance protests, The Patriots advised the President to engage in dialogue with protest leaders.
It further cautioned the law enforcement agencies against using lethal weapons in managing the demonstrations to prevent fatalities.
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