Jonathan sets agenda for Constitution Review Committee

Goodluck Jonathan,
The Nigerian President,

Jonathan sets agenda for Constitution Review Committee

The Nigerian President, Goodluck Jonathan, on Thursday raised a Constitution Review Committee to look at and harmonise past efforts at the review of the constitution but with a warning to avoid controversial areas which would need further and enlarged different debate.

He asked the 21-member Presidential Committee on the Review of Outstanding Constitutional Issues headed by former Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Saliu Alpha Belgore, to concentrate on those areas where agreements had been reached.

He also requested that they leave the controversial areas for another enlarged body where opinion leaders, interest groups, ethnic nationalities and others would be constituted to further debate the issues in an enlarged committee.

He said his administration was focusing on devoting time and resources of the country to pressing issues of development so as to lessen the drama of politics, group agitations and needless contentions. He pointed out that Nigerians had committed sweat and blood as well as resources in their unflinching belief in the country which must be rewarded through making the nation great.

The president told them that the reason he did not go for a Constitutional Conference was to avoid vitriolic critics who would accuse him of diverting attention from the serious security issues like Boko Haram to set up another jamboree.

He pleaded with them to devote their time to achieving results in putting together a document that could be sent to the National Assembly as a bill.

Areas of concentration

Jonathan said: “Let me explain what you are going to do so that my speech will not confuse you. You are handling documents especially the 2006 conference that reasonable agreements have been reached in quite a number of areas which the then National Assembly couldn’t take on.”

In what appeared like terms of reference, he asked the committee to take a special look at the political and constitution review conferences, judicial reforms efforts, charter on human and people’s rights, environment and natural resources, local government joint accounts and the revenue sharing formula.

He noted that the committee was inaugurated to develop draft bills on previously agreed issues that would go a long way in strengthening bonds.

These settled issues include strong recommendations from past Constitutional and Political Reform Conferences; on National Security, Human Rights and Social Security, People’s Charter and Social Obligations; Environment and Natural Resources, Models and Structure of Government, Public Service, Power Sharing, Local Government Reforms and the economy.

Other areas of firm agreement include proposals for Judiciary and Legal Reforms, constitutional amendments pertaining to the Public Service, Anti-Corruption, State Joint Local Government Account, Traditional Institutions and Cultural Reforms; and Civil Society, Labour, Trade Unions and National Media Reforms, amongst many others.

The Task

President Jonathan further explained that thetask of the committee was to study and deliberate on the resolutions, recommendations and implementation guidelines of the last National Political Reform Conference; as well as any relevant aspects of the 1994/95 Constitutional Conference.

The committee is also to consider, and where necessary, update parts of the draft documents and resolutions that culminated in the 1999 Constitution in light of contemporary challenges.

The president also charged the committee to suggest fresh solutions to old problems, especially those that may have defied consensus in times past.

Responding, Belgore said a comprehensive review rather than part-by-part was better, pointing out that the 1999 Constitution was done in a hurry.

He assured Nigerians that they would give Nigeria the result it deserved and pledged the commitment of his members to address the confusion which had arisen out of the functions of the three arms of government.

No time frame was given for the committee to conclude its work.

Members of the committee

Members of the committee are Belgore, Sen. Udoma Udo Udoma as Vice-Chairman, Chief Ebenezer Babatope, Mr Ledum Mitee, Dr Abubakar Saddique, Ms Comfort Obi, Mr Peter Esele, Prof. Oladipo Afolabi, Prof. Jerry Gana and Tessy Ikimi.

Others are Mr G.O.S. Miri, Ambassador Babagana Kingibe, Ambassador Jibrin Chinade, Mr Abubakar Mustapha, Prof. Anya O. Anya, Dr. Chukwuemeka Ezeife, Alhaja Salimot Badru, Hajia Najatu Mohammed, Mr. Ferdinand Agu, Alhaji Wakil Mohammed and Halima Alpha.

NP/Adekusibe/Williams