Dep. Sen. Omo-Agege rejects Eminent Elders Forum’s demand to replace 1999 constitution with 1963 copy

The Deputy Senate President, Ovie Omo Agege, hosting some elder statesmen under the aegis the Eminent Elders Forum on a courtesy visit at the National Assembly, turned down their demand to replace the 1999 constitution with the 1963 republic constitution. The Eminent Elders Forum had protested that Nigeria should end the unitary system of government currently being practiced under the existing 1999 constitution which they said should be discarded, urging the National Assembly to adopt the 1963 constitution and restore federalism in Nigeria. The deputy senate president had, however, told members of the Forum that their demand is beyond the National Assembly, saying that the federal legislators can only amend the constitution in piecemeal.

The Coordinator of the Eminent Elders Forum, Professor Echefuna Onyeadi, and members who include former Deputy President of the Senate, Ibrahim Mantu; former Governor of Niger State, Alhaji Babangida Aliyu, and Chairman Emeritus of Daar Communications Plc, High Chief Raymond Dokpesi, in a closed door meeting with the Deputy Senate President, Ovie Omo Agege, Chairman, Senate Committee on Constitution Amendments, argued that Nigeria is currently practicing unitary government rather than federalism, advocating a total overhaul.

The Eminent Elders Forum has over 300 members.

Deputy Senate President Omo-Agege explained that the demand of the Forum is beyond the mandate of the National Assembly, reiterating that federal legislators have jurisdiction limited to amendment of the document in piecemeal.