Nigeria @ 52: Delivering democracy dividends via constitution review

Those in support of the constitution’s amendment argue that it will further boost the delivery of democracy dividends to the people.  The advocates of the constitution’s review also believe that amendment would help to address the grey areas of the constitution that was drafted and enacted during the military rule. Senate President David Mark, who […]

Those in support of the constitution’s amendment argue that it will further boost the delivery of democracy dividends to the people.  The advocates of the constitution’s review also believe that amendment would help to address the grey areas of the constitution that was drafted and enacted during the military rule.

Senate President David Mark, who made no bones about the need for the constitution’s amendment, stressed that it would promote quick dispensation of justice, while addressing some grey areas in the constitution.

Mark expressed his support for the constitution’s amendment, when he received proposed judicial amendments to the constitution from the former Chief Justice of the Federation, Justice Dahiru Musdapher.

His words: “Anything we can do to deliver justice quickly without delay is welcome because justice delayed is justice denied.

“The three arms of government are important, we must work together to promote democracy and deliver dividends to our people.”

Earlier, Musdapher told the senate president that the 47 proposed amendments on the judiciary were expected to address some salient issues affecting the country’s judiciary.

Deputy Senate President Ike Ekweremadu, who is the Chairman of the Constitutional Review Committee set up by the Senate, gave an assurance that the committee would not disappoint Nigerians in its assignment.

“We will bring about changes that would reflect on the dynamics of the society,’’ he said.

Mr Yunisa Tanko, the National Chairman of National Conscience Party (NCP), who said that the amendment was desirable, however, called for the inclusion of the people’s basic needs in the revised constitution.

He stressed that such inclusion would make the country’s political leaders more accountable to the people, while compelling them to keep their electoral promises.

“We do need an amendment to the constitution, especially with regard to its second chapter, which deals with the basic needs of the people such as housing, jobs, good roads, schools and health care,’’ he said.

Tanko also called on the National Assembly to look into areas in the constitution which dealt with registration and de-registration of political parties.

“This, we believe, will promote the entrenchment of a multi-party system, where one single political party will not be able to dominate others.

“It will also reduce the militarisation of the electoral system.”

On local governments, Tanko said the third tier of government should be strengthened so that it could provide democracy dividends to people at the grassroots.

However, Mr Solomon Ewuga, a former FCT Minister of State, said that a review of the constitution review was largely unnecessary.

He stressed that the current constitution was not an obstacle to good governance, adding that the people themselves were the ones frustrating good governance.

“There is nothing in the constitution that limits good governance in this country,’’ he said.

Besides, Ewuga argued that a constant review of the constitution would give undue advantage to some people in power, while jeopardising the interests of majority of Nigerians.

“We must use the constitution to trigger the provision of dividends of democracy to the citizens in order to make life better for our people,’’ he added.

Ewuga stressed that the quantity of laws that were written did not really matter, adding that what mattered most was how inclusive the laws were.

“The U.S. constitution is just a small document; you can count the number of times they have reviewed it, yet it accommodates everything.

“Our constitution is still valid. It is not the constitution that has problems, we must simply accept the fact that this document should be adhered to,’’ he said.

Ewuga, a former ANPP governorship candidate for Nasarawa State in the 2007 polls, stressed the Nigerian constitution embodied direct principles of state policy, clearly defining how the country should be governed.

“The issue of corporate governance, how to manage state resources are all captured in the constitution but some people still steal public funds. To me, the constitution has all it takes to administer good governance,’’ he said.

All the same, Sen. Mark stressed that many Nigerians wanted some sections of the constitution revised.

At recent retreat organised for the Senate in Asaba, the senate president noted that since the constitution review process began, there had been a broad consensus from stakeholders on specific areas that should be amended.

“A broad consensus on the constitution review has crystallised around some issues which include devolution of power, fiscal federalism, concept of federating units, local government autonomy, judicial reforms and creation of state police,’’ he said.

Mark noted that the issue regarding the creation state police was somewhat controversial and urged the members of the Senate’s Constitutional Review Committee to seriously deliberate on it.

He, however, conceded that the constitution’s amendment would not address all the challenges facing the nation, urging all citizens to live up to their nation-building expectations.

Mark, who admitted the task of constitutional amendment was not an easy one, nonetheless, said that it was surmountable.

He said that with the concerted efforts of the National Assembly, the federal and state governments, as well as all stakeholders, the task would be accomplished.

“However, the constitution’s review is not an end in itself. To run a democratic system successfully, the leaders and the people must demonstrate democratic impulse because it is a cultural basis for the democratic process,’’ he added.

The senate president, nonetheless, assured Nigerians that the National Assembly would not foist a “fait accompli” on Nigerians in the guise of a constitution.

Mark also pledged that the lawmakers would resist any attempt to impose minority views on the people.

Alhaji Aminu Tambuwal, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, who also spoke at the retreat, pledged that the people’s yearnings and aspirations would be adequately reflected in the constitution’s review process.

All said and done, Nigerians may soon a perfect constitution that can stand the test of time, as the nation marks its 52nd independence anniversary.

(NANFeatures)