MUST READ: Nigerian constitution declared illegal
– A Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Chief Mike Ozekhome has said declared that the current 1999 Nigerian constitution illegal
– Ozekhome said his comment is the reason why the country is still advocating for nationhood
– He called on President Muhammadu Buhari to implement some of the recommendations of the 2014 National Conference
Respected Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) and human rights activist, Chief Mike Ozekhome has said declared that the current Nigerian 1999 constitution is illegal.
Ozekhome made the declaration while addressing members of South-South Pen Pushers who decorated him as the patron of the association, on Wednesday, June 8 in Abuja
Chief Mike Ozekhome (SAN)
According to The Signal, Ozekhome said the constitution was given to Nigerians by the 28 Provisional Ruling Council members of the Abdusalami Abubakar-led military administration in 1999 without Nigerians’ input.
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“The current constitution of Nigeria is illegal. It was formulated by the military. The constitution itself is unconstitutional,” Ozekhome declared.
Speaking further, the human rights lawyer said the system of government as currently constituted, makes the central government too powerful.
Ozekhome used the occasion to call on President Muhammadu Buhari implement some of the recommendations of the 2014 National Conference.
He stated that the recommendations contained in the report of the 2014 National Conference, if implemented, will solve some of the niggling issues in Nigeria.
He urged the government to consider the devolution of powers from the centre.
His words: “We have a central government that is too powerful. We are looking at the devolution of powers from the centre to the component units. All the issues coming up in the polity were discussed extensively during the 2014 National Conference.
“I believe that Nigeria is an ongoing project. It is like clay waiting to be moulded into a good shape. I believe in true fiscal federalism. Regions should be allowed to develop according to their pace and culture, rather than the current system we are operating.”
“In these days, nobody looked forward to the centre to survive. Every state in Nigeria has something to bring to the table. It is injustice for the Federal Government to insist that all mineral resources belong to it.
“The way out is to go back to true fiscal federalism. It is either we merge all the states together into regional blocs or make them truly independent. It will be such that what each state produces, 70 per cent will be given back to them. The structure we are operating is not working.
“I am appealing to Buhari to drop the mindset where he said he has not even looked at the content of the National Conference. He is looking at the convener instead of the message. He should not throw away the baby and the bad water.”
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Ozekhome was part of the delegates that participated in the conference. Before ex-president Goodluck Jonathan left office he forwarded the report to the National Assembly for action, but nothing has been heard of the report ever since.
Reports had emerged that President Muhammadu Buhari would likely dump the report of the conference. Last year, a top government official revealed that the president was not favourably disposed to the implementation of the confab report.
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