Politics
Nigeria’s unity must be renegotiated – ADF insists
OBINNA EZUGWU
The Alaigbo Development Foundation (ADF) has said Nigeria’s problem is foundational in nature, which according to it, can only be resolved by “addressing bravely the great foundational deficiencies, which is the extremely flawed 1999 constitution and subsequent unconstitutionalities from which Nigerian Governments and leaders derive their power and authority.”
According to the group, the country’s unity must be renegotiated and a new peoples’ Constitution produced in a Conference of Ethnic nationalities constituted solely for that purpose.
The ADF which made the demand in a statement signed by its president, Prof. Uzodinma Nwala and its of Chairman Publicity Bureau, Chief Abia Onyike on Wednesday, also threw its weight behind the 90 days notice issued to the federal government on the dissolution of “fraudulent” 1999 constitution issued by eminent leaders of the Middle Belt, Southeast, Southwest and South-South indigenous ethnic nationalities in Nigeria.
The group said it was “very pleased and encouraged by the landmark decision of these Indigenous Nationality leaders to confront the existential threat hoisted on the constituent nationalities that make up the artificial Federal republic of Nigeria squarely.
“The journey these leaders have elected to embark on is noble, exemplary, and demands boldness , unwavering courage and dogged determination, perseverance and self-sacrifice. They have launched into a voyage exclusively reserved for men of courage and dedication.
” The Problem of Nigeria is foundational in nature, which can only be resolved by addressing bravely the great foundational deficiencies, which is the extremely flawed 1999 constitution and subsequent unconstitutionalities from which Nigerian Governments and leaders derive their power and authority.”
The ADF maintained that the country’s constitution is based on false premise of being an agreement of the Nigerian peoples, but the people were never consulted when it was drafted.
It emphasized that it had, along with with other Organizations such as the Lower Niger Congress, Yoruba based Voice of Reason(VOR), South East- Middle Belt Integration Forum etc, persistently called for Ethnic Nationality based Constitutional Conference to produce peoples’ Constitution in line with universal principle of self-determination and human right, in the last few years “as the panacea for the Nigeria socio-political tragedy.
“This 1999 Constitution, for example, started with a criminally intentioned falsehood in the preamble, “WE THE PEOPLE………” when the people never met or were never consulted to give approval to the Fulani Drafted and imposed military decree, via a referendum or plebiscite. This is true of the series of dictatorial constitutional acts enacted by Northern military regimes and imposed on the people,” the group said.
“ADF recalls that the Sharia Northern States were the first to repudiate and discard the 1999 Constitution, through the adoption and implementation of Sharia Law as state Law in fragrant violation of the so-called Federal Constitution. This, they have done to the detriment and agony of non-Muslims in the North East and North West Zones, and shear contempt of the secularity provisions of the constitution.
“The leadership of the National Assembly recently , admitted that the National Assembly lacks power to review the Constitution and can only do marginal amendments to the existing Constitution. Therefore they claim that they cannot give Nigeria a new Constitution.
“Thus, the burden of producing a new peoples’ Constitution lies with the Conference of Ethnic nationalities constituted solely for that purpose, whose decision must be subjected to a plebiscite to give it full legal effect.
“ADF along with other Organizations such as the Lower Niger Congress, Yoruba based Voice of Reason(VOR), South East- Middle Belt Integration Forum etc, have persistently called for Ethnic Nationality based Constitutional Conference , to produce peoples’ Constitution in line with universal principle of self-determination and human right ,in the last few years as the panacea for the Nigeria socio-political tragedy. ADF has called for a renegotiation of the foundation of the Federal Republic to allow the various Ethnic nationalities in their capacity as Autonomous Regions to take full charge of their Territory, Economy and Resources, Security and Defense, judiciary, diplomatic relations, etc
“ADF has set this step which the Nationality leaders have embraced as the roadmap for the future of a united , progressive Federation founded on the principles of Self-determination and free choice through two well publicized documents, namely:
a. ADF position on the Future of Federal Republic of Nigeria , popularly known as the “GREEN BOOK”( APRIL 2017)
b. The Enugu Declaration( A Re-Affirmation of the Igbo Position on the Future of Alaigbo in relation to, or within The Federal Republic of Nigeria, July 2018)
” We wish to reassure these eminent nationality leaders from the Middle Belt and Southern Nigerian Indigenous Ethnic Nationalities of full support and cooperation by ADF and her Affiliates and Collaborating pan-Igbo Organizations, in their effort to emancipate the trapped nationalities in the unfortunate contraption called Federal Republic of Nigeria.
“ADF suggests that the Eminent leaders should set June 12, 2021 as the date for plebiscite for adoption of regional Constitutions by the constituent indigenous Ethnic nationalities. By implication, action plan and mobilization for drafting of the Regional Constitutions should begin now. Forward ever, backward never.”
