National Consultative Front, NCFront, is to hold a pan Nigerian constitutional conference in view of the heightening ethnic violence, civil strife and looming anarchy in the country.
NCFront said it had already set up a national consensus committee to immediately work out inclusive agreements among key leaders of thought and eminent political icons in the country on how to convoke an independent citizens’ driven pan Nigerian constitutional conference of ethnic nationalities, indigenous peoples and various civil society interests.
According to NCFront, the move was to prevent an impeding civil war in the country.
The group said its intervention became unavoidable as it had become crystal clear to all Nigerian stakeholders and “that the present governments in Nigeria have become helpless, incapacitated and have lost initiative in dealing with the looming anarchy in the country.”
It said ethnic violence, civil and religious strife in the country had grown from worse to worst ever in the annals of Nigeria.
The group, according to its national secretary, Mr. Olawale Okunniyi, said the “national rescue committee” would be coordinated by Dr Olisa Agbakoba, SAN, Dr Hakeem Baba Ahmed, among others.
Said the group: “The committee, which is expected to send out invitations to all ethnic nationalities, indigenous peoples and various civil society platforms for registration and participation in the People’s National Conference by March 2021, shall be expected to first consult with some selected eminent Statesmen, leaders of thought and State Governors like Prof Wole Soyinka, Dr Ahmed Joda, Prof Ben Nwabueze, SAN, Commodore Dan Suleiman, Chief Edwin Clark, Prof Ango Abdullahi, Chief Olu Falae and Governors, Samuel Otorm of Benue, Aminu Tambuwal of Sokoto, Nyeson Wike of Rivers, Babagana Zulum of Borno, Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti, Godwin Obaseki of Edo, Seyi Makinde of Oyo States, among others before the People’s National Conference is convoked.
“This people driven constitutional dialogue of the NCFront shall be expected to produce a draft People’s constitution for Nigeria by 1st October, 2022 and shall be expected to serve as the constitutional template upon which the next elections in Nigeria shall be conducted.
“However, some of the constitutional working documents already listed to guide the proposed national constitutional consultation include; the1963 constitution, the 1979 Constitution, the 1989 constitution, the 1995 constitution, the reports and draft constitutions of the constitutional conferences under Presidents Obasanjo and Jonathan in 2005 and 2014 respectively as well as the proposed Peoples’ Constitution produced by PRONACO Peoples’ National Conference chaired by Chief Anthony Enahoro of blessed memory.”
The group added that its leadership also reaffirmed that its final national consultative retreat, where the emergent mega political movement of the group shall be launched had now been scheduled to hold between March 29 and 31, 2021.
“A suitable venue for this broad National Retreat of National Leaders of Conscience aimed at rescuing and saving Nigeria shall be announced in the first week of March, 2021,” the group said.
