The Chairman, Editorial Board of National Daily Newspapers, Chris Akiri, has said that President Jonathan’s intention to subject the proposed National Conference’s recommendations to the legislative arm of government will rob the whole idea of its true purpose.
Speaking on Channels Television’s breakfast programme, Sunnrise Daily, Akiri said his initial ecstasy upon hearing the President’s decision to set the ball rolling for the Conference was deflated on hearing that the Conference’s recommendations would be subject to the National Assembly’s scrutiny and verification.
Although he expressed satisfaction with the names on the list of the Advisory Committee, he said the new development from the Presidency is akin to the mistake made by Former President Olusegun Obasanjo in 2005.
Making reference to the 2005 National Political Reforms Conference, as instituted by President Obasanjo, Mr Akiri said the idea made everybody happy but the way Obasanjo “constituted it and denied it of the quality of sovereignty” made him conclude that it was a jamboree and would not be successful.
He said that if indeed the Conference is to be sovereign, there would not be any need for its recommendations to be ratified by the Senate or States Houses of Assembly.
Such a move would make the proposed Conference a ‘talk show’ and confirms that Nigerians are only being hoodwinked into believing that there is a Conference.
He added that Section 9 of the Constitution explains how the legal book can be altered or amended. This does not empower the National Assembly to present a new constitution. While in section 14, it is evident that sovereignty belongs to the people.
Nigerians are the donors of sovereignty to any department or arm of government, he said.
He stressed that only the people of the nation can work out a new constitution for themselves through a Conference.
Sending it to the National Assembly or State Assembly indicates a Constitutional Amendment, which is what the President wants to do by the new clause he just raised.
Why don’t you just continue with the amendment of the constitution instead? He asked.