A delegation of elder statesmen below the auspices of a gaggle often known as the Patriots led by former Commonwealth Secretary-Normal Emeka Anyaoku lately appealed to President Bola Tinubu to convoke a Constituent Meeting that may provoke the method for a brand new Nigerian structure.
Chief Anyaoku, talking on behalf of the group urged the President to ship an government invoice to the Nationwide Meeting, proposing two measures they imagine would assist actualise this proposition.Of their opinion, ”convening of a constituent meeting with the mandate to supply a draft folks’s democratic structure” has grow to be crucial. In addition they stated that the constituent meeting must be of straight elected people, on a non-political occasion foundation, from the 36 states of the federation, presumably three people per state, and one from the FCT.
Anyaoku additionally stated the Patriots proposed legislating a nationwide plebiscite to which the draft structure rising from the constituent meeting can be subjected.
”The draft structure, produced by the constituent meeting, must be put to a nationwide referendum and if accredited, then signed by the President as the real Nigerian folks’s structure,” he stated.In our view, whereas the intentions behind this proposal are undoubtedly well-meaning, it fails to deal with the foundation causes of Nigeria’s challenges. What the nation actually wants isn’t one other expensive constitutional rewrite, however a renewed give attention to good governance and efficient management.
The argument for a brand new structure rests on the incorrect premise that Nigeria’s present challenges stem from an inappropriate governance construction which a structure ought to supply. This, in our view, oversimplifies the complicated points dealing with the nation and ignores the truth that even probably the most completely crafted structure is just as efficient as those that implement it need it to be.
Submit-civil struggle, Nigeria has already undergone a number of constitutional conferences and revisions. The 1978 Constituent Meeting, the 1995 Nationwide Constitutional Convention, the 2005 Nationwide Political Reform Convention, and the 2014 Nationwide Convention have all tried to deal with the nation’s structural challenges. But, regardless of these efforts, most of the similar points persist.
There’s, subsequently, no assure that one other convention would really convey in regards to the change we search.The proposal for a brand new Constituent Meeting, with three non-partisan representatives from every state and one from Abuja, bears a putting resemblance to the composition of the prevailing Nationwide Meeting. It’s troublesome to see how this new physique would produce basically completely different outcomes, particularly when contemplating the potential for political maneuvering and affect that has affected previous constitutional efforts.
Furthermore, the monetary implications of such an endeavor can’t be ignored. At a time when our economic system is below extreme pressure, with thousands and thousands of Nigerians grappling with poverty and starvation, the big expense of one other constitutional convention would hardly be justifiable. The assets required for such an endeavor might be higher allotted to addressing speedy wants and implementing present insurance policies extra successfully.
It’s price noting that most of the suggestions from the 2014 Nationwide Convention are but to be absolutely carried out. Earlier than embarking on a brand new constitutional journey, it could be prudent to revisit these proposals and take into account their potential influence if correctly enacted.
The crux of Nigeria’s challenges lies not within the wording of the structure, however within the high quality of management and its dedication to good governance. No constitutional association, regardless of how meticulously crafted, can compensate for leaders who lack integrity, imaginative and prescient, and the real need to serve their folks.
As an alternative of embarking on one other expensive and time-consuming constitutional overhaul, Nigeria can be higher served if consideration is targeted on:Strengthening present establishments to make sure correct checks and balances; implementing complete electoral reforms to reinforce the integrity of the democratic course of; investing in civic schooling to foster a extra engaged and knowledgeable citizenry; prioritization of transparency and accountability in governance in any respect ranges in addition to addressing socio-economic inequalities that gas discontent and instability.
For sure , it’s true that Nigeria faces vital challenges, together with problems with nationwide unity, insecurity, and financial hardship, these issues aren’t inherently constitutional in nature. They’re, as a rule, the results of poor coverage selections, insufficient implementation, and an absence of political will to deal with root causes.
Consequently,whereas the need for change is comprehensible given Nigeria’s myriad challenges, the answer lies not in reinventing the structure however in reinvigorating the dedication to good governance. The power and assets that may be expended on a brand new Constituent Meeting might be extra successfully channeled into implementing present reform suggestions and addressing the nation’s urgent points.
Nigeria’s path ahead requires visionary management, unwavering dedication to the rule of regulation, and a collective effort to construct a extra simply and affluent society. These targets are achievable inside our present constitutional framework.
The nation should give attention to cultivating the political will and moral management crucial for remodeling Nigeria’s potential into actuality, fairly than chasing the mirage of constitutional perfection.
