New constitution ready by June 2013 –Ihedioha

September 7, 2012 by John Alechenu and Olalekan Adetayo 

Deputy Speaker, House of Representatives, Mr. Emeka Ihedioha, has assured Nigerians that the new Constitution that will emerge from the ongoing amendment process would be ready latest by the second quarter of 2013.

Ihedioha said this in his paper, ‘Perspectives of Constitutional Amendment,’ which he presented at a presidential retreat for civil society organisations and professional associations at the Presidential Villa, Abuja on Thursday.

He said the decision to end the process at that time was to ensure that there was enough gap between the time the new constitution comes on board and the next general elections.

He said, “So far, we have received over 100 memoranda. The immunity clause, police reform, local government administration, devolution of power, removal of NYSC Act and Land Use Act from the Constitution and zoning of public offices are some of the issues.

“We will not shy away from introducing new issues that can no longer be postponed like the security architecture, local government autonomy, do we need zonal or regional governments, derivation formula, indigeneship/residency, justice sector reform, legislature: whether it is bicameral/unicameral and whether lawmaking should be part-time.

“We are umpires at this stage, but the process of ammendment should end latest by second quarter of 2013 so as to give enough time space before activities leading to the general elections kick off.”

Deputy President of the Senate, Ike Ekweremadu, in his paper titled, ‘Strategies for Evolving People’s Constitution,’ said evolving a truly people’s Constitution was a collective responsibility.

Director-General of the Nigerian Institute of Advanced Legal Studies, Prof. Epiphany Azinge (SAN), in his paper, ‘The 1999 Constitution and future of Nigeria,’ said Nigerians were moving too fast in altering the Constitution.

“No amount of alteration will make us go forward without political stability. Alteration will be the fourth in 13 years, it does not portray us a disciplined and serious people,” he said.

Meanwhile, labour unions and civil society organisations on Thursday said only a constitution that emerged from national referendum would be acceptable to Nigerians.

Representatives of the groups spoke at the first Presidential Retreat for Civil Society Organisations and Professional Associations at the Presidential Villa, Abuja as part of activities to mark the nation’s 52nd Independence.

The President, Nigeria Bar Association, Mr. Okey Wali, said national referendum was important if the nation was sincere in its desire to get a truly people’s constitution.

President, Nigeria Labour Congress, Mr. Abdulwaheed Omar, said, “I support a referendum for Nigerians to have a truly people’s constitution,”

A Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Mr. Olisa Agbakoba, said members of the civil society organisations would give up on the call for a Sovereign National Conference if government gives them referendum.

A civil rights lawyer, Mr. Femi Falana, described the 1999 Constitution as an illegitimate document which must be taken to the people for it to be legitimate.

SOURCE: The Punch - Nigeria's Most Widely Read Newspaper 7 September 2012.