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Anyaoku-led group calls for people’s democratic constitution
The Patriots, a non-partisan group of eminent Nigerians, has urged President Bola Tinubu to convene a National Constituent Assembly to produce a people’s democratic constitution for the country.
Chief Emeka Anyaoku, former Commonwealth Secretary-General, made the call when he led The Patriots on a visit to the President last Friday.
Anyaoku, while briefing State House correspondents after the meeting, said the leaders of thought conveyed to the President the view that Nigeria needed a people’s democratic constitution.
“Nigeria, we affirmed to Mr President, is a pluralistic country, and you know that pluralistic countries exist all over the world.
“Those of them that address their pluralism by having true federal constitutions have survived. The examples are India and Canada.
“But those pluralistic countries that failed to address their basic challenge of pluralism through federal constitution have ended up disintegrating. Examples of that are Yugoslavia and Czechoslovakia. And here in Africa, Sudan,” said Anyaoku.
He said Yugoslavia and Czechoslovakia existed for as many as 100 years as one country, but eventually disintegrated because they could not manage their pluralism through a truly federal constitution.
“And we put some proposals to Mr President, and urged him to send an executive bill to the National Assembly; a bill that will call for two essential measures.
“One, the convening of a National Constituent Assembly to be mandated to produce a new draft constitution.
“And we suggested that such National Constituent Assembly should consist of individuals elected by the people on non-party basis.
“Say, for example, three individuals per state, each of the 36 states, and one from the Federal Capital Territory,” said Anyaoku.
The group suggested that the National Assembly should be asked to legislate on a national referendum, because as our laws stand at the moment, we have no provision for a national referendum.
“And we concluded by saying that the draft constitution to emerge from the Constituent Assembly should be subjected to the national referendum in order to give the people of Nigeria a chance to determine their new constitution,” he said.
He said the Patriots also talked about the current protests throughout the country.
“We suggested to the President, that in our view, the government at the federal and state levels should dialogue with the leaders of the protests.
“The government should take initiative in dialoguing with the leaders of the protests.
“And secondly, we advised that the law enforcement agencies, namely the police and the army, should avoid using lethal weapons in the management of the protests so that we do not have casualties,” said Anyaoku.
He said the challenges of national unity, insecurity, poverty and hunger, necessitated the setting up a constituent assembly with the mandate to produce a new constitution.
“All these challenges that we are currently facing are symptoms of the inappropriateness of the constitution that we have at present, the inappropriateness of the governance system we have at present.
“And I’m sure that when a national constituent assembly looks at all these, and looks at all the recommendations the past national conferences and produce a draft constitution, the country will be better,” he said.
Anyaoku said he believed that the government would consider the views of the Patriots.
“In my personal view, the new constitution can be realised within, say, six to nine months, if the National Assembly passes the bills and the constituent assembly is convened and they deliver it,” he said.
According to him, the difference between the expected new constitution and the present one is that, “what we have now does not make for effective internal security measures.
“It does not make for rapid economic development. It does not make for satisfactory social development, say, in education and health and so on.
“And I believe that a new constitution would make it easier for these challenges to be tackled.”
Anyaoku said a referendum was required to enable the views of the citizens to be captured to confer legitimacy on the constitution.
The Patriots included Chief Olusegun Osoba, former Governor of Ogun State, Sen. Shehu Sani, Mr Mike Ozekhome, lawyer and human rights activist, among others.
The Rivers State Chief judge, Justice Simeon Chibuzor Amadi has granted pardon to six inmates standing awaiting trial at the Port Harcourt maximum correctional center.
The six lucky inmates granted pardon on Tuesday by the state Chief Judge included Nwekeala Chizoba, Samuel Emmanuel, Aniete Kelvin, Ebube Fubara and Goddey Okpara who were on awaiting trial as murder suspects and have all spent between 10 years to seven years in the custody without a proper information filed against them in the court.
Justice Amadi during a special gaol delivery exercise last Tuesday at the Port Harcourt Maximum Correctional Centre opined that the special gaol delivery was part of activities lined up to commomerate the 2024/2025 legal year in the State and restated the commitment of the state judiciary in decongesting the correctional centre and ensuring that those inmates who are not supposed to be there are removed from the custody.
The state chief judge stressed the need for all stakeholders to work together to build a society that supports rehabilitation and gives a second chance to anyone or group of people who have fallen short of the expectation of the law and have been punished accordingly.
He stressed that the National Judicial Council(NJC) encourages judges to pay more attention to criminal matters to enable them to decongests the correctional facilities, noting that since his assumption into office, his administration has been able to reduce the number of inmates in Nigerian Correctional Centres and the Port Harcourt Correctional Centre in particular, to less than 2,000 as against the over 4,000 inmates previously in the faculty.
According to him, “as they release the deserving inmates, they affirm their commitment to justice, compassion and rule of law but that they must not forget the fundamental principles of justice delivery system which is truth and fairness, integrity and equality before the law.”
I encourage you all the released inmates to return to your families and become better citizens. You must not engage in action that will return you all back to prison. Let me say that while the judges show empathy to you all, it does not absolved individuals from being held accountable for actions against individuals, corporate organisations and state which the law frowns at, ”he stated
The Chief Judge thereafter stood down the exercise to enable the DPP to intervene to case files following the fact that majority of the persons listed to benefit from the exercise are facing murder charges and adjourned to a date that will come before December.
Earlier in his goodwill message, the outgoing state Comptroller of Nigerian Correctional Centre, Port Harcourt, Felix Lawrence, who was recently promoted to the rank of Assistant Controller General, commended the state judiciary led by Chief Judge, Justice Simeon Chibuzor Amadi for their continuous effort aimed at ensuring justice and decongesting the facilities.
Other activities lined up for the event included special church service at St Paul’s Cathedral , Anglican Communion, Rebisi Port Harcourt, inspection of guard of honour by the state Chief Judge mounted by officers of the Nigerian police and a special court session held at the ceremonial court hall.
By: AkujobiAmadi
The Director General of Rivers State Bureau on Public Procurement (RBoPP), Dr. Ine Briggs, has explained that the Sir Siminalayi Fubara administration plans to enforce transparency in governance through public procurement.
Speaking at a one-day Public Procurement Enlightenment workshop organised in collaboration with the State Local Government Service Commission for newly elected chairmen, vice chairmen, secretaries and leaders of legislative assemblies, Dr. Briggs said it is key for grassroot development.
She stated that the Sir. Fubara administration plans to reduce wastage and at same time infuse efficiency in public expenditure.
The RSoPP DG said the local government political office holders remain key drivers in the new vision hence the workshop is to arm them with knowledge on how to execute projects in tandem with needs of the people.
“ Your role in the prudent management of public resources is, therefore, not just administrative it’s the cornerstone of delivering the dividends of democracy. Every procurement decision you make must reflect a commitment to fairness, transparency and accountability” Dr. Briggs submitted.
One of the key goals of the administration she further reminded the participants was to use their offices to foster economic growth through public procurement.
She warned that the law establishing the agency empowers it to penalise defaulters, but that what is more important is voluntary compliance to the laws.
In addition to that, she said urged the local government council leaders that champion the practice and implementation of public procurement law.
On his part, Acting Chairman of Local Government Service Commission, Pastor GoodLife Ben Iduoku averred that the aim of the workshop is to arm key stakeholders in the local government system to generate new ideas, innovation and strategies in tandem with government policies and programmes.
The workshop dealt on various topics on procurement planning, methods, Understanding Bid Process, including types of Construction Contracts and law.
Some participants were awarded excellence and meritorious awards as part of the programme.
By: Kevin Nengia
The 19th anniversary of the National Association of Proprietors of Private Schools (NAPPS), Rivers State Chapter, recently ended in Port Harcourt in grand style, with participants from various schools including proprietors, the academia, civil society groups and top government functionaries charting the way forward for educational improvement.
The 19th NAPPS anniversary christened, ‘Innovation and Adaptation: Transforming Challenges Into Opportunities’ was held at Casoni Hotels, Port Harcourt.
In his remarks, the Chairman of the Rivers State Chapter of the association, Dr. Jaja Adafe Sunday expressed gratitude to the members and executives for their untiring efforts towards the achievements of the body.
He sought the intervention of government on the lingering crisis on the economy as it is affecting the running of schools.
He decried high cost of things including fuel and raw materials which has adversely affected the running of schools and payment of teachers.
Dr. Sunday hinted that the current economic situation in the nation is biting hard on the operations of schools, saying inflation, removal of fuel subsidy, fuel scarcity, poor electricity supply, tariffs and lack of government grants are some of the challenges faced by schools, and urged the members to brace up to the challenges, as it is the panacea to building a brighter future.
Guest speakers from the health sector and the academia thrilled the gathering on the essence of basic education which they said is the key to national development.
Former Dean of the Ignatius Ajuru University of Education, Professor Azuru and the Chief Medical Director of Meridian Hospitals, Dr. Odo Iyke were some notable guest speakers who delivered lectures at the occasion.
Some distinguished proprietors also got special recognitions and awards.
The 19th anniversary cake was cut by the Rivers State NAPPS Chairman with representatives of the state government assisting.