3 February 2013
Press Statement
The signals coming from the National Assembly, particularly
the House of Representatives on the review of the 1999 constitution of the
Federal Republic of Nigeria is quite disturbing.
We recall that a public session was to hold last Thursday, 31st
January 2013 which was abruptly postponed by the Honourable Speaker of the
House after members of the public had waited for about two hours for the
session to commence.
While we hope that the National Assembly is not yielding to
pressure from some quarters, particularly the Governors Forum who has been
widely reported to be against some popular proposals on critical sections of
the constitution most Nigerians advocated should be included in the new
constitution, we reiterate our position that the new constitution provides for
full local government autonomy as expected in a federation.
The Local Governments are closer to the mass of our people
and its only when they are fully independent that the Nigerian people can enjoy
the benefits of democracy.
Rather than continue to tie the local governments to the
whims and caprices of state governments, the constitution should ensure funds
meant for local governments go directly to them and all funds and other
resources generated by the local governments should be managed by the local
governments and not the state governments.
This is one way we can deepen democracy in Nigeria and ensure
a working federal system that will benefit the Nigerian people.
The Nigerian people were united on this during the public
sessions held last year in all the 360 constituencies where the Peoples’ Public
Sessions were held by the House of Representatives in collaboration with labour
and civil society groups in the country.
The Nigerian people were also united that labour and
industrial relations matters must remain in the exclusive list as it is in the
1999 constitution and must not be tampered with as it is in the interest of
industrial peace and the principles of tripartism which promotes transparency,
fairness, and result oriented collective bargaining.
We warn, that the National Assembly should not allow itself to
be used to impose tenure elongation for any political office, including the
office of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Office of Governor
etc, as Nigerians have consistently opposed this since it was fraudulently
introduced to public discourse and legislative attention during the Obasanjo
administration. We remain opposed to it and will resist any attempt to smuggle
it into the report because Nigerians have consistently been opposed to it.
We took interest in the proceedings of the People’s Public
Sessions because we believed the leadership of the House who promised the
Nigerian people that our shared views and presentations would not be supplanted
with views and interests of a few politicians who wish that the resources and
political direction of the country remain their exclusive preserve.
The National Assembly, particularly the House of
Representatives should not allow itself to be held hostage by any political
group or interest to mutilate the views and collective interests of the
Nigerian people in the final report of the sessions held nationwide on the
constitution amendment.
The National Assembly should know that their commitment is to
the Nigerian people as a whole and not the self interests of a few people or
groups. This attitude of subjugating our collective interests have not been
helpful in the delivery of good governance and anyone advocating for the
sustenance of retrogressive and anti people provisions in the constitution must
be regarded and treated as an enemy of the Nigerian people.
The leadership of the House should be firm in its
determination to promote democratic ideals and good governance, which the 7th
House of Representatives have been able to demonstrate so far.
We therefore demand that the house make the report of the
Peoples’ Public Sessions held nationwide public immediately.
Abdulwahed Omar
President
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