The people of Yobe State at the on-going public hearing on the amendment of 1999 Constitution, rejected proposals for state creation in each of the six geo-political zones of the country.
They also kicked against the proposal on recognising the geo-political zones in the constitution for administrative purposes.
The public forum chaired by Barrister Ahmed Goniri, who is the Commissioner for Justice in the state equally kicked against the recommendation that certain percentage of elective offices should be reserved exclusively for women.
They also voted for financial autonomy and independence for the state House of Assembly, whilst they agreed that Section 162(6) of the Constitution must be amended to abolish Local Government Joint Account.
This is to ensure that allocations due to Local Government Councils are paid directly from the federation account rather than through the state governors.
There are currently about 60 petitions before the national assembly for the creation of more states.
The people’s public session on the amendment of the 1999 constitution was held across the 360 federal constituencies on Saturday.
A reversal of the revenue allocation to favour states and local governments and states creation are some of the demands Nigerians are making.
In Kano state, the demand for Shariah law was high on the agenda even as protests over the alleged non-inclusion of the Muslim legal system on the list of items to be reviewed in the 1999 Constitution was reported.
A member of the House of Representatives in the state also narrowly escaped death after a mob attacked him in one of venues of the public hearing over alleged poor representation.
In Ogun State, Nigeria’s south west region confusion trailed the exercise as some people kicked against the modality adopted by the facilitators.
The demand for state creation was prominent in Imo, Enugu states while the demands for 100 per cent resource control resounded in Bayelsa state.
The people of Ekiti State voted unanimously that there should be no defined and specific roles for the monarchs in the new constitution, while a section of the people of Cross River state opposed the call for the creation of additional state for the South East.
Good governance Vs Constitution amendment
Speaking at the public session, the Yobe state Governor, Alhaji Ibrahim Gaidam, however observed that commitment to the entrenchment of good governance and rule of law as well as the eradication of corruption is more important than the continuous clamour for the review of the nation’s constitution.
He however warned that poverty alleviation, security, job creation among other national interests should be grey areas to be reflected in the constitutional amendment.
Noting that the 1999 Constitution was hurriedly produced at the end of the military era, thereby contains some undemocratic clauses, Alhaji Gaidam stated that with the on-going wide consultation, the nation will have a more democratic and acceptable constitution for the diverse nation.
The constituency constitution review process for the six constituencies in Yobe state was held at the Government House, in Damaturu, the state capital, due to security reasons.
Also speaking on the role of Nigerians in the review of the constitution created by the military, Senator Awaisu Kuta representing Chanchaga Ferderal Constituency of Niger, stated that loopholes in the 1999 constitution necessitated the on-going amendment of the constitution.
According to the Senator who spoke to Channels Television after the people’s public session on the review of the 1999 Constitution in Chanchaga Ferderal Constituency, Niger state, “the 1999 constitution does not have the input of the people especially those at the grassroots as it was taken from a military perspective.”
He however emphasised that for the constitutional review to be successful, the electorates will have to elect credible leaders that will correctly implement it.
Nothing to hide
The Senate President, David Mark earlier at the flag off ceremony of the process stated that there’s nothing to hide in the process while the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Honorable Aminu Tambuawal, noted that the process is a noble one.
The public session is meant to accommodate the public’s participation in the review of the 1999 constitution as several aspects of the constitution like state policing, revenue allocation, local government creation were brought to the fore and put up for debate
