Ekwueme at 80: Fashola, Obi differ on Constitution review

[Sunexx360]

Eminent Nigerians yesterday disagreed on the desirability or otherwise of a new constitution for the country and sustenance of the existing six geo-political zones, as the basis of relationship between the federating units. The occasion was the international colloquium with the theme: "Federalism: Building on the Ekwueme Legacy," held in Abuja in celebration of the 80th birthday of former vice-president, Dr Alex Ekwueme.
Setting the tone for the discourse, Lagos State Governor, Raji Fashola, lauded the former vice-president for being the initiator of the present six geo-political zones arrangement, but expressed concern over its workability as federating units.
The Lagos State governor further called for moral rebirth on the part of Nigerians, as he noted that Nigerians must develop a sincerityof purpose to make the new constitution being envisaged work.
"What is under constitution consideration is whether a constitution amendment is really what we want. What lies at the heart of the clamour is the desire for a better life, not really a better document. Nigerians want to pay school fees, feed themselves and work. The Constitution is just an agreement on howwe relate to one another. Its effectiveness depends on our sincerity to honour agreement. We don't have electoral malpractices, because the constitution is bad;our roads are bad for motorists not because the constitution is bad. The crash of the stockexchange isn't because the constitution is bad.
"Those things that frustrate our people cannot be put at the doorstep of the Constitution. It lies in our diminishing values. I must not be mistaken that we don't need a Constitution; what I am saying is that the Constitution cannot be driven by itself. It must be driven by people with values."
But Anambra State Governor, Peter Obi in his remarks submitted that a document skewed against a certain zone in the country would only earn their respect if it was based on justice.
"The constitution isn't more than an agreement. If the agreement is based on injustice, as a person from South East, what do I do? Do I respect the agreement, or renege on it? There must be respect for everyzone. If it doesn't respect every zone, then you must seek for an amendment. In an agreement where one group has six states and another has five states, do you stay in such agreement? It must be based on justice and equity for all of us to respect it."
Former Information Minister and Chairman ofSouth South Assembly, Chief Edwin Clark in his presentation advocated the abolition of states and the entrenchment of zones, as federating units as canvassed by Chief Alex Ekwueme during the 1994 Constitutional Conference. The Ijaw leader dismissed the present 1999 Constitution as a military document that should be subjected to rigorous amendment at a national conference. "I agree with those who say there must be a new constitution. A situation where some zone have six states and another five, let us review it, based on experts advice—not on sentiments.
"The thirty six states governors have no initiative, they only come to Abuja at the end of every month to collect from the Federation Account, thinking that will solve the problems. "I think we should abolish the states and strengthen the zones. We need a national conference, because the National Assembly is arrogating to itself, the power to look at the constitution. "Let the federating units meet and submit their deliberations to the National Assembly. What we have now is a military document; we must deliberate so that we can have a federation of equal partners.
"So, I believe the six geo-political zones, suggested by Dr. Alex Ekwueme should be the federating units of this country."