ABUJA — Speaker of the house of representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila has described the 1999 constitution as the result of a hurried national compromise that has contributed to the country’s challenges.
The zonal public hearing which is taking place across the country’s six geopolitical zones commenced today and is to last till Thursday (June 1-3)
Speaking at the zonal hearing in Lagos on Tuesday, Gbajabiamila said Gbajabiamila said the constitution is below standards.
He noted that it was put in place to keep the military in the barracks.
“A nation’s constitution is the foundation of its existence. It is supposed to set the terms of our nationhood and define who we are in a manner that reflects both our common truths and highest aspirations.
“Our constitution falls short of this standard because the 1999 Constitution is the product of a hurried national compromise that we entered into two decades ago in other to ensure that the military returned to the barracks and that we returned to democratic government.
“It was always the intention that we will one day as one people and one nation, return to amend this document so that it gives voice to the yearnings of the Nigerian people and sets out in clear details how we intend to achieve the shared ambitions of our nationhood. Providence has cast upon the 9th National Assembly the responsibility to write such a constitution for the Nigerian people,” he said.
He also stated that the nation should have a standard constitution to correct the problems confronting the country.
“No nation in the world has a perfect constitution, but we need a near-perfect constitution in Nigeria and we can achieve that through substantive amendments that significantly alter the character of our nation,” he said.
“Therefore, the task before us now is to use this process of review and amendment to devise for ourselves a constitution that resolves the issues of identity and political structure, of human rights and the administration of government, resource control, national security and so much else, that have fractured our nation and hindered our progress and prosperity.
“Our job is to produce a constitution that turns the page on our past, yet heeds its many painful lessons. It is not an easy task, but it is a necessary and urgent one.
