The Patriots’ summit: Delegates propose Constituent Assembly to draft People’s Constitution

•Agree on state police, independent candidacy, restructuring of security architecture

DELEGATES at the ongoing constitutional summit on the future of democracy in Nigeria on Thursday in Abuja, agreed on the setting up of a Constituent Assembly to draft the bill on  the People’s Constitution for the country. 

They also resolved in independent candidacy, loss of seats by politicians that defect from their parties, reduction of the number of ministers, creation of state police on the second day of the conference organised by The Patriots, taking place in Abuja.

The resolutions were presented to newsmen by two delegates, Professors Maxwell Gidado and Professor Mike Ozekhome (SAN). Some of the major resolutions read: “That there should be a new, democratic and inclusive people‘s constitution;

“A constituent assembly made up of members elected on non-partisan basis should be set up to debate and draft a new constitution. INEC should conduct election into the Constituent Assembly; 

“That there should be a special force in charge of borders, coastal ways to complement the conventional forces;

“That the constitution should make it mandatory for defectors to lose their seats;

“That there should be a framework that will make Nigerians in Diaspora participate in elections;

“That there should be a constitutional provision that makes it mandatory for all electoral matters to be concluded before swearing in into office.”

The summit is put together by The Patriots, in collaboration with Nigerian Political Summit Group (NPSG) to address how the country could have constitution that reflects the genuine aspirations and needs of the people.

Most of the leaders that spoke at the conference with the theme: ‘Actualising A Constitutional Democracy That Works for All in Nigeria’, which is holding at the Congress Hall of the Transcorp Hotel, Abuja, also canvassed for sweeping electoral reforms that will engender free, fair and credible elections in the country.

In separate submissions, leaders of thought, women and the youth called for devolution of power from centre to the federating units, stressing that it will check autocratic tendencies from the centre. 

The delegates also called for independent candidacy for candidates who do not want to run on party basis, diaspora voting and the loss of seats by defecting politicians.

They also pushed for the reduction in the number of ministers and political appointees, ostensibly to cut the cost of governance.

Under the 1999 Constitution (as amended), a sitting president is constitutionally mandated to appoint at least one minister from each of the 36 states into the federal cabinet.

Other key resolutions of the delegates included restructuring of the nation’s security architecture, creation of sub-national police to tackle internal security and electoral reforms that will deepen democracy.

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