Anyaoku, others advocate new constitution for Nigeria

Former Commonwealth Secretary General, Chief Emeka Anyaoku, led a delegation of prominent leaders to meet with President Bola Tinubu on Friday, urging the adoption of a new Constitution for Nigeria.

The group, known as The Patriot, argued that a new Constitution is essential to addressing the country’s persistent social and economic challenges.

Anyaoku emphasized that the current Constitution is inadequate for guiding Nigeria toward progress, attributing many of the nation’s issues to its shortcomings.

The delegation, which included notable figures such as Senator Shehu Sani, Mike Ozekhome, Labaran Maku, Senator Ben Obi, and Segun Osoba, called on President Tinubu to send a presidential bill to the National Assembly to establish a constituent assembly tasked with drafting a new Constitution.

The proposed Constitution, they suggested, should reflect Nigeria’s diverse makeup and be subjected to a national referendum.

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The group expressed confidence that this process could be completed within nine months, offering a solution to the ongoing challenges facing the country. The meeting took place at the State House, and the group briefed reporters afterward.

They advocated that President Tinubu should immediately send a presidential bill to the National Assembly so that a constituent assembly would be put in place and be mandated to produce a new Constitution that would take into consideration the plurality of the country.

The draft constitution should also be subjected to a National referendum that should give the people a new constitution, expected to tackle many of the challenges in the country.

The group, which said the new constitution could be put together in nine months, added that what it has presented was responsible for the challenges bedevilling the country.