A Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Mike Ozekhome, has emphasized the need for a people-centric constitution to address Nigeria’s challenges.
The senior lawyer argued that the current 1999 Constitution, imposed by the military, is not a true representation of the people’s will, according to NaijaNews.
Ozekhome urged President Bola Tinubu to demonstrate the political will to create a new constitution that reflects the people’s aspirations.
He believes this would help tackle poverty, insecurity, and other issues plaguing the nation.
The human rights lawyer stressed that a new constitution should be subject to a referendum, ensuring it is a true representation of the people’s desires.
He likened the current constitution to a car with a “knocked engine,” emphasizing the need for a new foundation rather than superficial reforms.
Ozekhome prioritized a people-centric constitution over economic reforms, stating that a strong foundation is essential for meaningful progress.
Asked whether a new constitution is an antidote to poverty, insecurity, and other challenges confronting the Nigerian state, Ozekhome said, “It is. The killings you are seeing, the poverty, the corruption, they are all symptoms of a larger problem which is the basis of what we are talking about. When you solve it, other things will be in place.”
“Nigeria is a country still yearning for nationhood. We are not united.
“The brand new constitution must be subjected to the referendum of the people,” he said.
“The political elite has to agree. If you are driving a car and the car has a knocked engine. Is it not the engine you should look at? Do you begin to panel-beat the car, spray it with beautiful paint, and buy new tyres? Will that move the car?
“I am saying that the engine of the Nigerian state, for now, is knocked and it is giving rise to all these mutual suspicion, religious intolerance,” he said.
