Kwankwaso on the 1999 constitution

The group, certainly not the main stream Afenifere was of the view that Governor Kwankwaso’s views were reflections of selfish desire and ambition to the extent that when he is affected he called for the amendment of the constitution and in another breadth, he is criticizing moves to amend the same constitution as proposed by […]

The group, certainly not the main stream Afenifere was of the view that Governor Kwankwaso’s views were reflections of selfish desire and ambition to the extent that when he is affected he called for the amendment of the constitution and in another breadth, he is criticizing moves to amend the same constitution as proposed by the charade called National Conference.
Well, in my humble view, what Governor Kwankwaso said simply reflected the views of his people of Kano who incidentally are the largest than those of any other unit that make up the Nigerian federation. Besides, the attempt to amend the constitution of the moment is shrouded in dubiousness as evidently manifested in the desperation of the president and his co-travellers.
I am of the view that what Rabiu Kwankwaso said represents the views of the majority of the citizens of Nigeria who are obviously silent while a few sectional elites continue to take them for a ride. The whole episode is to bring up a constitution where a minor section of the country assumes preeminence over the majority in terms of politics since the economy is already in the hands of a few amongst them.
All these attempts are happening in the full glare of elites of Northern Nigeria in this government and they are unable to speak for their constituencies just because they are either hungry, greedy or for reasons bordering on bigotry. In each of these cases, you see Nigerians of Northern extraction shamelessly standing aloof when crude injustice is perpetrated against their people and geo- political location.
The few who are able to talk in public against the design and without fear expressing in clear terms the dangerous implications that such an inordinate dream may result to the country and its people are called names and blackmailed at the slightest opportunity by both the federal, state and its agents and agencies, unknown to them that such people are merely speaking the minds of the people they are representing.
You are a good person only when you tell those in federal authority the lies that they love to hear at any particular point in time. If Kwankwaso had gone to Kaduna last week and sat with Vice President Sambo and the rest of them and tell the blatant lie those elders like AminuWali did, he would have been called a hero by such a pro-Jonathan campaign group parading as Afenifere .
The bottom line is that this column as has been consistent in the last many months since the presidential desperation became palpable that Goodluck Jonathan was bent on re-configuring Nigeria through the writing g of a new constitution, we maintain our view that the process is both illegal and unconstitutional.
The constitution of Nigeria cannot be either written or corrected through a conference such as the one President Jonathan conducted recently due to many reasons we have identified and made issues out of for sometime now.
It is not possible for me and those who think like me to accept any constitution whose creation or correction was conducted by a lopsided committee where the largest and most populous sections of the country was grossly under represented. Out of about 450 delegates only 190 represented the 19 states of the North and federal capital territory while the rest and majority of members represented 18 states.
A constitution reviewing or drafting committee that has about 40 delegates from Bayelsa the state with the lowest population in the country while KANO WHICH IS THE MOST populous state having about 18 representatives will be unacceptable to me and millions of other people not only in Kano, but also KADUNA, Katsina, the third and fourth most populous states in the country according to last national headcount conducted and approved by the national legislature.
Why the report of the national conference would at best remain a document advisory to Mr. President is that the so-called conference lacked any basis in legislation and constitutionality and as such its outcome are mere raw materials to Mr. President and his government and not a serious document that Nigerians should continue to hit their heads on the wall.
I am of the view that the position taken by the Governor of Kano reflects my fervent belief that even if the 1999 constitution is faulty as indeed there are several issues of contention in it, the way to amend it is clear and must pass through the legitimate and constitutional means. If the president and those who are desperate in changing or replacing desire to do so, there are acceptable steps that are lawful and any ambush would obviously be resisted.
The rumor-mill going round is that those who believe that every parliamentarian has a price have accumulated so much money. This no doubt has been the Nigerian strategy, but the bottom line is that at no matter what cost such an ambush would not see the light of day.
The earlier those in authority realize the reality and gravity of the national issues that are impeding against the smooth running of the federation the better for us all.
I agree in toto with Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso. The 1999 constitution is a far better document than the trash proposed by the lopsided conference. The evil intentions of government and those that run it shall definitely be resisted by the innocence of majority of Nigerians who are languishing in poverty, ignorance, hunger and deprivation arising from the failures of those who call the shots in Abuja.
The proposed amendment to the constitution by the controversial conference is a manifestation of hate and the unpreparedness of Nigerians to remain together. It is sad. Very sad that the nation is backward after all it has gone through in the last one hundred years.
God save Nigeria from this ruling class.