President Bola Tinubu has expressed his willingness to consider a request for convening a national constituent assembly tasked with drafting a new constitution. This assurance was given during a meeting at the State House in Abuja yesterday with members of The Patriots, a group of prominent Nigerians led by Chief Emeka Anyaoku, former Commonwealth Secretary-General.
According to Ajuri Ngelale, the president’s special adviser on media and publicity, Tinubu emphasized that his administration’s top priority is restructuring the economy for sustainable growth and development. This comes as The Patriots, represented by Chief Anyaoku, urged the president to propose an executive bill to the National Assembly for the establishment of a national constituent assembly. This assembly would be responsible for creating a draft of a new democratic constitution for Nigeria.
Chief Anyaoku recommended that this assembly should be composed of directly elected representatives, chosen on a non-political basis, with three individuals from each of the 36 states and one from the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). Additionally, the assembly would be supported by seven constitutional lawyers from each of the six geo-political zones and the FCT. He also suggested that the assembly should take into account the 1960/63 constitutions, the 2014 National Conference recommendations, and other previous national discussions on the Nigerian constitution.
Anyaoku further proposed that the draft constitution developed by this assembly should be subject to a national plebiscite. If approved in the referendum, it should be signed by the president as the official constitution of the Nigerian people.
In response, President Tinubu acknowledged the significance of The Patriots’ contributions to national dialogue. He expressed his respect for the group and recognized the importance of addressing their concerns for good governance.
“I have carefully listened to you, and this is not a group I can disregard. Your efforts reflect the hopes and aspirations of society,” Tinubu said. He acknowledged the challenges inherent in managing Nigeria’s diverse democratic governance and emphasized his commitment to maintaining national unity. “I believe in the unity of this country, and I want to assure you that I will do whatever is necessary to ensure happiness and good governance for all Nigerians.”
Tinubu acknowledged that calls for constitutional reforms have long been part of national discussions and cited examples from other pluralistic countries like Canada and India, which have preserved unity by addressing diversity through their constitutions. He affirmed that, while his immediate focus is on economic reform, he would consider constitutional review once the economic situation stabilizes.
The president also paid tribute to the founding members of The Patriots, including Chief Rotimi Williams (SAN) and Professor Ben Nwabueze, describing them as strong advocates for Nigeria. He highlighted the need to address how Nigeria is governed constitutionally to avoid unnecessary strife and to create a nation that future generations can be proud of.
In concluding his remarks, President Tinubu assured Chief Anyaoku that their submissions would be thoroughly reviewed, and he would engage in further discussions with them on the matter. He expressed his commitment to ensuring a stable and prosperous Nigeria.
Chief Anyaoku, in his closing remarks, noted that The Patriots had organized a well-attended colloquium in March 2024, where it was unanimously agreed that Nigeria requires a new constitution. He also expressed confidence in President Tinubu’s ability to lead the nation through this significant constitutional transformation, pointing to Tinubu’s longstanding dedication to the struggle for democracy in Nigeria.
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