A group, Alaigbo Development Foundation (ADF) has declared that the 1999 Constitution cannot be amended and accused the National Assembly of wasting scarce resources in its attempt to amend the constitution.
National president of ADF, Prof Ukachukwu Awuzie stated this in Enugu at a press briefing after their state executive meeting.
He said amending the 1999 constitution will involve the state houses of assembly across the federation.
Awuzie maintained that the governors have much influence on the state houses of assembly and will therefore not allow them to do what they do not want.
He therefore advocated that there should be a return to what he described as the people’s constitution, noting that the 1999 constitution was imposed on the people by the military.
The ADF president further suggested that there should be a return to the 1963 regional constitution.
“The ADF believes that the chaotic nature of the Nigerian Federation is the basis of the perennial terrorism, banditry and violence which have made life unbearable in Nigeria today.
“To build an equitable federal structure based on social justice, we advocate the reconstitution/renegotiation of the Nigerian Federation.
“This should be done through the making of a new people’s Constitution and not the amendment of the 1999 Constitution as embarked upon by the current and former National Assemblies from 1999 to date.
“We are convinced that only a return to Regional Autonomy and Fiscal Federalism can resolve the problems bedeviling the crisis-ridden Nigerian federation.
There should be a return to the 1963 Regional Constitution which was agreed upon by Nigeria’s founding fathers,” he said.
