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Ozekhome: Nigeria won’t progress without new constitution, referendum

Mr. Mike Ozekhome (SAN) yesterday described the 1999 constitution as a “forced document”, insisting that Nigeria needed a new constitution and renegotiation of its existence through a referendum, if the country must progress. Ozekhome argued that, Nigeria currently operates under a “suffocative system”, owing to the 1999 constitution (as amended) which according to him has been stifling the growth of the country. The human rights lawyer and activist stated this in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital, during the “Ladi Adebutu Good Governance Symposium” held at the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library. The symposium with the theme “Local Government Autonomy: A panacea for national development,” was organised in honour of former Governorship aspirant in Ogun State, Hon Oladipupo Adebutu. Ozekhome declared that the constitution is a “false document from the pit of hell”, which he said has no input from Nigerians.

The legal practitioner, who was the Guest Speaker at the occasion, said “it is a lie to say Nigeria is indivisible.” Ozekhome said “I agree that Nigeria should stay together as one country. But, please, if we must be together as one country, we must re-negotiate the terms. It must be under agreed terms. That’s where a constituent of people’s assembly comes up. “And for those people who are afraid. The National Assembly members are afraid. They want to amend the constitution. Can you amend a bad document? A child of illegitimacy and bastardly Decree 24, even if you give it one million amendments, it cannot solve our problems.” “Rather, let them (National Assembly) use section 4 of the constitution which says “The National Assembly shall have powers to make laws for the peace, order and good government in Nigeria and there any part thereof.” In his remarks, a renowned political scientist and media scholar, Prof Ayo Olukotun blamed lack of the autonomy of councils on what he called “feeding bottle governance and distributive democracy.”

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