Former Commonwealth Chief Urges Constitutional Reform in Nigeria

Emeka Anyaoku, former Commonwealth Secretary-General, has urged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to convene a Constituent Assembly to draft a new Constitution for Nigeria.

Leading a non-partisan group called ‘The Patriots,’ Mr. Anyaoku made this call during a meeting with President Tinubu at Aso Rock Villa in Abuja.

The Patriots group included notable figures such as former Governor of Ogun State, Olusegun Osoba, former senator and activist Shehu Sani, and senior lawyer Mike Ozekhome, among others.

Mr. Anyaoku emphasised the need for a democratic constitution to address Nigeria’s pluralistic challenges.

During the meeting, they also discussed the ongoing demonstrations across Nigeria.

“Nigeria, we affirmed to Mr. President, is a pluralistic country, and you know that pluralistic countries exist all over the world,” Emeka Anyaoku told statehouse reporters after meeting President Tinubu.

He added, “Those of them that address their pluralism by having true federal constitutions have survived. The examples are India and Canada.”

The former Commonwealth Secretary-General warned of the potential disintegration of Nigeria if a new Constitution is not drafted.

“But those pluralistic countries that failed to address their basic challenge of pluralism through federal constitution have ended up disintegrating. Examples of that are Yugoslavia and Czechoslovakia. And here in Africa, Sudan,” said Mr. Anyaoku.

Among the proposals presented to President Tinubu was the convening of a Constituent Assembly with three non-partisan members per state and one from Abuja, elected by Nigerians.

The group suggested that the National Assembly should legislate on a national referendum, “because, as our laws stand at the moment, we have no provision for a national referendum.”

The Presidency later released its version of what transpired at the meeting between The Patriots and President Tinubu.

Presidential spokesperson Ajuri Ngelale said in a statement that the president told the statesmen he would consider their demands while addressing Nigeria’s economic challenges.

”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.

Meanwhile, a former presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress, Dumebi Kachikwu, has urged President Bola Tinubu not to concede to calls by Emeka Anyaoku and other elder statesmen to change the 1999 Constitution.

He argued that the country does not need a new constitution as the old one has yet to be fully implemented.

Mimi Mefo Info