By our reporter| The Senate, on Thursday, said it lacked the authority to give Nigerians a brand new constitution despite the clamour for it at the ongoing constitutional review across the country.
Many stakeholders and groups, including Afenifere, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, had called for a new constitution that will capture the agitations of many Nigerians, instead of amending the present 1999 constitution, which they said had outlived its usefulness.
But speaking at a national public hearing on the amendment of the 1999 Constitution in Abuja, Deputy Senate President, Ovie Omo-Agege, said embarking on any process to provide an entirely new law without prior alteration of Section 9 of the 1999 Constitution, would be unconstitutional.
“Now, some of our compatriots have urged that rather than amending the Constitution, we should make a new Constitution all together. We respect this opinion, and we believe it is a most desirable proposition, the deputy senate president said.
“However, we are conducting this exercise in accordance with the extant legal order, which is the 1999 Constitution.
“Specifically, Section 9 of the Constitution empowers the National Assembly to alter the provisions of the Constitution and prescribes the manner in which it is to be done.
“Unfortunately, it does not make similar provision or provide mechanism for replacing or re-writing an entirely new Constitution.
“To embark on any process without prior alteration of Section 9 of the Constitution to provide the mode through which an entirely new Constitution could be made, would amount to gross violation of our oath of allegiance to the Constitution.
“In other words, it will take a new Constitutional amendment to be able to give Nigerians a most desired new Constitution. It would be unconstitutional to do otherwise.”
Senate President Ahmad Lawan, had earlier in his speech, urged Nigerians with pressing views to build a national consensus around them to ensure the amendment of the constitution in their favour.
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