The Northern Elders’ Forum has accused governors in the Southern region of building “ethnic monsters” and hiding behind them to whip up sentiments.

The forum also alleged that the governors, who swore to protect the constitution and defend the unity and integrity of Nigeria, have surrendered to the secessionists.

This was contained in a statement made available to journalists by its spokesman, Hakeem Baba-Ahmed, the forum berated Southern leaders over the ban on open grazing, saying they are making a desperate but futile attempt to split the north.

The statement reads in bits, “It is now clear that elected people who swore to protect the constitution and protect the unity and integrity of Nigeria have decided to surrender to deeply divisive or outrightly irredentist and secessionist tendencies and movements.

“Governors are building ethnic monsters and hiding behind them to whip up sentiments in a crude attempt to extract concessions no one is in a position to give or guarantee. A desperate but futile attempt is being made to split the North along lines that suit people who ignore its complexities and plurality when it is convenient to lump all Northerners and submit them to humiliation or attacks.

“In the South East, governors are yielding their political turf and mandates to secessionists, criminals and subversives who think they can exterminate federal presence and northerners from the region, and achieve dubious political goals related to 2023, or break away from the country.

“In the South West, elected leaders and pampered ethnic bullies are closing ranks to provide a front that apes the do-what-we-want-or-we-leave-the-country strategy of the marginalized leaders of the South East.

“The South South is squeezed between fear and uncertainty, and its leaders are gambling that they can benefit from further weakening the federal administration and the North if it rides along with the rest of the South.

“The forum supports a citizen-driven national dialogue and a campaign to get the government to accord its outcome the respect it deserves.

“The forum extends its hands to groups that genuinely believe that Nigerians should demand and design the type of country we want, and should not wait for people we elected to set the boundaries and conditions of our existence.

“The forum restates that the North will not be cowed and stampeded into escorting political ambitions of politicians at the cost of its rights, security and dignity.

“It demands that President Buhari asserts the powers our constitution gives him to protect our territorial integrity and secure citizens, or accept that he is incapable of leading the nation through these unprecedented challenges.”

A Legal icon and founder of the Afe Babalola University, Ado-Ekiti(ABUAD), Aare Afe Babalola  has described the proposed amendment of the 1999 Constitution  by the Natiional Assembly as a worthless exercise which may not yield  meaningful result. 

He opined that, “The root cause of our problems, which has brought Nigeria to the brink of extinction, is the 1999 constitution foisted on it by the Military when it was exiting the reign of governance in 1999” 

This was contained in a statement  made available  to newsmen in Ado-Ekiti entitled “Proposed Amendment of the 1999 Constitution by the National Assembly,: A futile exercise ” argued that it was an attempt to cure what he termed ‘ A Fraud”.

According to the Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) , another impediment to the proposed exercise was the inability to take the powers of the President on the control of public funds ,ditto the judicial powers .

Alternatively, Babalola  suggested that ” since amendment in law includes substitution for an existing document, why is it that the National Assembly cannot call for a Public Hearing on the substitution of the 1999 constitution for the 1963 constitution which was made with the consent of the people?” 

He said ” It is common knowledge that the 1999 constitution was made by the Military which in its wisdom claimed that it was made by the people. The constitution says among other things that: “We the people of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, having firmly and solemnly resolved…do hereby make and give to ourselves the following…”Of course, this claim is false.

“The truth is that there is no way the National Assembly can amend the 1999 constitution to cure the inherent defects in the 1999 constitution. First, you cannot cure fraud.

“Second, it is impossible, by way of amendment, to take away the military system of government under the 1999 constitution or the power and control of public funds by the President. Or can we, by way of amendment, change the Judicial powers of the President under the 1999 constitution? ” Babalola  said 

“The proposed amendment to the 1999 constitution, whichever way you look at it, is a futile exercise. We all know that previous sessions of National Assembly had made laws to convene National Conference. I therefore advise that the current National Assembly should call for a National Conference to discuss and make a new true federal constitution which will provide for a Parliamentary system of government.

“Against the background of the massive demand by Nigerians, home and abroad, for a true federal constitution made by the people and for the people, the National Assembly is calling for Public Hearing in the country’s six Geo-political Zones for people’s inputs on any issue of interest to enable the National Assembly to amend the 1999 constitution.

” The fact remains that you cannot amend a Coconut tree which has no branches to become and Iroko tree which has branches. It is a well-known fact that everything about the 1999 constitution is wound round the Presidential system of government. Why then is the National Assembly afraid of calling a National Constitutional Conference to fashion out a new true federal constitution and come up with a Parliamentary system of government like we had in 1963.” Babalola said

The Ekiti State Governor, Dr Kayode Fayemi, has declared open a public consultation on the review of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) in Ado-Ekiti.

While calling for the devolution of power and allocation of more resources to the federating units and building a nation where justice and peace reign.

The one day consultation was held to harmonise views of the Government and people of Ekiti State on the review process of the 1999 Constitution (as amended),
This is in furtherance to the announcement by the National Assembly on the commencement of the exercise as part of efforts aimed at ensuring active participation of Nigerians in the proposed alteration of some provisions of the 1999 Constitution.

The Consultation forum which was chaired by renowned Law Professor and former Vice Chancellor, Ekiti State University, Ado-Ekiti, Akin Oyebode, featured paper presentation of the positions of the three arms of government, eminent personalities and Civil Society Organisations.

According to Fayemi said the 1999 Constitution had been under severe criticism because it was largely a product of military decrees, adding that it did not emanate from process of public involvement, consultation nor pass through any referendum.

He said that , attempts to review, rewrite, amend and change the constitution have led to several conferences and discussions that were not inclusive due to the manner the conferences were conducted as well as the polarization of some of the debates.

His words; “No doubt constitutional making and review have always been a challenging issue in any society, and the reason for the challenges is not farfetched. The constitution is expected to put together the value, commitment, aspiration, interest and agreement of different groups, communities and individuals.

“As polarizing as the issues are with meaningful engagement, all-inclusive participation and gathering public opinion we can resolve the contention and agree on some of the issues in the interest of our nation. And as I have always stated that the interest of our dear nation should be placed far above personal interest.” The Governor said.

The Governor proposed that the idea of restructuring must be motivated by a generational responsibility to build a nation where justice and peace reign and made a call for devolution of power and allocation of more resources to the federating units.

He urged the review committee to critically work and concentrate on the defects of the 1999 Constitution and tap from the resources of constitutional reform veterans like Professor Oyebode, Bishop Ajakaiye, and Dr Kunle Olajide who participated actively in the 2014 National Conference in order to enrich their suggestions and recommendations.

Earlier, the Chairman of the Consultation, Prof Akin Oyebode in his remarks described the 1999 Constitution as a military documents, adding that this was not the first time Ekiti would be participating in the reform of the country’s constitution.

He lamented that the recommendations of the 2014 Constitutional Conference organised by the President Goodluck Jonathan administration have been conserved to an historical document.
Some of the speakers who made presentations at the forum included the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Olawale Fapohunda; Speaker Ekiti State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon Funminiyi Afuye represented by his Deputy, Hakeem Jamiu; Chief Judge of Ekiti State, Justice Ayodeji Daramola represented by Justice John Adeyeye; Chairman Traditional Rulers Council and Alawe of Ilawe Ekiti, Oba Ajibade Alabi, Bishop, Catholic Diocese of Ekiti, Rev Felix Ajakaiye and Chairman Ekiti State Civil Society Organisation, Professor Christopher Oluwadare.

Major issues raised at the conference included, the need for financial autonomy of the legislature and judiciary, state and religion, gender equality for women and girls, public revenue, fiscal federalism and revenue allocation, Nigeria police reform and security architectures, local government autonomy, electoral reforms and judicial reform.