According to a statement issued after a consultation at the Benin City country home of Chief Anthony Enahoro and signed by Mr Wale Okunniyi, the Media and Public Affairs Secretary of the PNC, the group said, without prejudice to their current litigation against the FG over the constitution, they support the plan of government to review the existing Nigeria constitution, but are alarmed at the erroneous approach of the ruling class to panel beat the fundamentally flawed document by way of amendment.
"Consequently international bodies such as the United Nations, European Union, African Union and foreign governments of the United States, United Kingdom, South Africa among others are already being contacted for full blown advocacy parley, given a renewed effort of the political class to impose another illegitimate process on the people once again. Okunniyi disclosed. The body however, said all PRONACO branches in these countries have been put on the alert for necessary actions to be anchored by Chief Enahoro and Prof Wole Soyinka, who is said to have already taken some positive steps on the international plane.
The body also contended that since the 1999 constitution, in its current form, is merely decree 24 promulgated into law in 1999 by the military government led by General Abdusalami Abubarkar and is devoid of the inputs of the sovereign and federating peoples of Nigeria, who should give its government a constitution, it is simply an act or will of the military, its originator, and not the will or covenant of the people of Nigeria.
While appreciating the enthusiasm of the government to take another look at the unpopular constitution, Okunniyi said the 1999 constitution lacks moral and legal basis for parliamentary amendments or tinkering except it first and foremost reverts to the Nigerian people in a constituents gathering or referendum. “The 1999 constitution is not amenable to tinkering in its present form because it will only amount to a recommendation of the last military regime before the national assembly- an aberration- and not a proposed covenant of the sovereign federating peoples of Nigeria given its flawed origin"
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Okunniyi argued In the same vein, the group disclosed that it has entered into discussions with some prominent human rights lawyers in the country for the purpose of building a formidable legal front for the advocacy for a peoples’ constitution in Nigeria. Notable among these advocates are Chief Gani Fawehinmi, SAN, Mr Olisa Agbakoba, SAN- the current President of NBA, Mr Femi Falana, President of WABA, Chief Ben Nwabueze, Pro Itse Sagay, Prof Jadesola Akande, the Chair of the Constitutional Drafting Committee of the Peoples’ Constitution, Chief Robson Momoh, Mr S.A Asemota, among others.
The statement also confirmed that the leadership of the PNC is expected to hold separate and joint consultative meetings with these pro people legal activists next month in preparation for the next hearing of PRONACO suit against the Federal Government which comes up on September 20, 2007.
On the ongoing conflict resolution process in the Niger Delta, Okunniyi warned the federal government on the need to handle the national question holistically, tactfully and urgently in order to avoid the inducement hostage takings and other forms of violence in other parts of the federation where youths are currently lying low based on the expectation that the actualization of the PRONACO peoples’ process will bring justice to them.
“The leadership of PRONACO has now come under intense pressure given the isolated and tokenistic approach of the Yar’ Adua government in resolving what is purely a crisis of unjust federal union” PNC stated