By Levinus Nwabughiogu-Abuja
Governor of Delta State, Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa yesterday called for the overhaul of the 1999 constitution for a new one.
The Governor also asked for devolution of power from the federal government to give the federating units more powers, a review of revenue allocation to states as well as an upward review of the 13 percent derivation to oil producing states in the country.
This was as the Minority Leader of the House of Representatives, Hon. Ndudi Elumelu said that the legitimacy of any constitution stemmed from the participation of the citizens in the amendment processes.
READ ALSO:Okowa’s statement on power rotation quoted out of context – DPM
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Olabode George
Olabode George
Published 2 June 2021
It was our first Prime Minister Alhaji Tafawa Balewa who once observed that the “Nigerian democracy should be an ethnic commonwealth which should give each constituent a fair place under its umbrella even if they have lost at the polls.”
This succinct wisdom long uttered more than 60 years ago is the very pivot of the present agitation for a more equitable union.
However, the present shadow boxing in the name of the constitution review will not meet Balewa’s standard.
And thus, when the Senate Constitutional Review Committee berthed in Lagos the other day, it was without any inkling of democratic seriousness, totally devoid of any sense of fairness, indifferent to the equitable pursuit of justice.
No budget for constitutional review? | Tribune Online tribuneonlineng.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from tribuneonlineng.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.