Recession: Nigeria has never had it so bad —Ajibola

FORMER judge of the International Court of Justice, Prince Bola Ajibola, on Friday, has  urged members of the National Assembly to address the state of the nation’s econony through the on-going constitutional amendment process.

The former Attorney General and Minister of Justice said this during his presentation tagged, “The Imperative of Constitution Review/Amendment in Nation Building” at a two-day retreat of the Special Ad-Committee on the review of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (As Amended), held at the June 12 Cultural Centre, Kuto, Abeokuta.

He Nigerians must work hard to place the country on the rightful position and stressed the need for to the country to be adjusted and amended, saying, “there’s one important issue which must be addressed by you.

“We never had recession. We never had oppression and depression. It is now happening. There’s no money in government like before, therefore, it is now a necessity that we must work for our earning.

“We need to look, work very hard to be able to get anywhere. Easy money is no longer there. It is now a necessity that we must work hard for our earnings.

“We have never had it so bad. We have never been in a situation of this nature. We must look at our constitution, particularly in the areas that have to do with our economy.  A lot of people have been retrenched all over the place. A lot of people are now without  jobs.

“We must work hard  to see that the constitution is reframed to take care of the present situation that is looking at the naked path that is now facing us in Nigeria at present.

Addressing the gathering during the opening ceremony, the chairman of the committee, Honourable Lasun Yusuff, said the committee had been working round the clock since its inauguration in January to ensure that the 4th Alteration bill, started by the 7th Assembly, is given a speedy passage and subsequent assent by President Muhammadu Buhari.

The deputy speaker of the House of Representatives said that the 8th Assembly would rely on the framework laid by the previous Assembly to address unresolved issues.

He added that the retreat  would avail the committee an opportunity to consult with stakeholders and come up with a constitution that would positively impact on Nigeria’s democratic process.

“Here in Nigeria, several attempts made to amend the constitution have often ended in futility like the 4th Alteration Bill that never saw the light of the day.

“Having considered the reasons why the Alteration Bill of the 7th Assembly was declined by the president, we have decided that the process should commence de-novo and fast-tracked to ensure a timeous passage of the Bills.

“Constitution amendment  process is a serious matter and, oftentimes,  challenging. “Thus the committee is involving the participation of various stakeholders to make their much-needed contributions,” he said.

He listed issues for constitutional review as including same sex marriage, resource control and local government creation,  issues of state police, electoral, laws and appointment of judges.

The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Honourable  Yakubu Dogara, who declared the retreat open, urged the committee to be guided by national interest and not parochial, sectional or religious considerations in its assignment.

Dogara, represented by the Majority Leader of the House, Honourable Yinka Gbajabiamila, enjoined the committee to consult widely and come up with a constitution that would stand the test of time.

He  stressed the need for the body to leverage on areas where the 7th assembly had already secured consensus of the National Assebly and approval of the various state Houses of Assembly.