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ANYAOKU LED THE PATRIOTS TO SEEK NEW CONSTITUTION FOR NIGERIA
Former Secretary General of the Commonwealth, Chief Emeka Anyaoku, was a guest of President Bola Tinubu on Friday, where he and other leaders of thought went to sell the idea of a new Constitution for the country.
The group under the auspices of The Patriot said a new Constitution has become imperative to address the persistent challenges bedeviling the country.
According to Anyaoku, the existing constitution lacks the capacity to take the country to the promised land, stressing that it was also responsible for the prevailing social, and economic challenges.
The group addressed State House Correspondents after meeting with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu at the State House on Friday.
Other members of the group who accompanied Anyaoku to the Presidential Villa were, Senator Shehu Sani, Mike Ozekhome, Labaran Maku, Senator Ben Obi, and Segun Osoba, among others.
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.
Responding during the visit, President Bola Tinubu emphasized that his administration’s primary focus is on retooling the economy for sustainable growth rather than working on drafting a new Constitution.
He expressed respect for the group’s contributions to national discourse and assured them that their requests would be reviewed. He reiterated his commitment to national unity and acknowledged the need to address constitutional reforms.
However, he stressed that his immediate priority is economic reform, which he believes is essential for the country’s stability and progress.
Once the economic reforms are in place, Tinubu assured, he would consider the proposed constitutional review and other options to ensure good governance for all Nigerians.
The President also noted the importance of avoiding chaos and ensuring that the aspirations of all Nigerians are met, promising further discussions with Chief Anyaoku and ‘The Patriots’ on the matter.
