How to make Nigerian constitution work, by Editors, others

LAGOS — LEADING media lights in Nigeria and other stakeholders, yesterday, offered thought-provoking suggestions on how to improve the 1999 Constitution and make it a vehicle for the delivery of democracy dividends to the citizenry.

Speaking at a five-hour programme: “Media Dialogue with Editors on the Constitution Amendment Process,” in Lagos, the editors said the country might continue to wallow in poverty and want, polity instability and tension if meaningful adjustments were not made in the constitution.

The areas they sought amendment include constitutional guarantee for right of access to information, making media’s governance monitoring function legally enforceable, affirmative action and gender issues, youth empowerment and fiscal federalism among others.

Organised by the Democratic Governance for Development (DGD) Project of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in collaboration with the Office of the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Dr Reuben Abati, media icons at the parley included Editor-in-Chief/General Manager (Publications),Vanguard Newspapers and President Nigeria Guild of Editors, Mr. Gbenga Adefaye; former Director General of the Nigerian Television Authority, Dr Tonnie Iredia; Attorney General of the Federation and Justice Minister, Mr. Mohammed Adoke (who was represented by his Special Assistant, Mrs. Stella Aborime); and UNDP Country Director, Mrs. Ade Letkoetje.

Also present were Editor, Vanguard newspapers, Mr. Mideno Bayagbon; Acting Editor, The Guardian, Mr. Martins Oloja; Chairman of the Inter-Party Advisory Council, IPAC, Dr Mohammed Shittu; IPAC Secretary, Mr. Emmanuel Mok; Mr. Lanre Arogundade, Mr. Festus Okoye, daily and weekend editors of major newspapers in the country as well as representatives of civil society organisations.

Adefaye hails NASS, Jonathan over FoI law

Speaking at the event, Adefaye urged editors to buy into the constitution amendment process because a good constitution would yield a good press, which in turn would lead to a better society.

Thanking the National Assembly and the President for the Freedom of Information law, he said the next task was making the FoI law work, noting that the surest way of doing this was putting the freedom of the press expressly in the constitution.

Adefaye deplored the worsening state of affairs in the country and sought urgent action. He lamented that 52 years after independence, many Nigerians were still squatters in their country.

In like manner, Mrs. Letkoetje assured that the UNDP was committed to assisting in making the constitution amendment process a success by partnering with all stakeholders. She urged the media to keep the issue on the front burner, help the citizenry to make robust participation so that in the end, the people would take ownership of their constitution.

Also speaking, Mrs. Aborime, who said the Justice Minister was working on a template that would make the FoI law effective, decried the frequent need to amend the constitution and hoped that the outcome of the current exercise would enrich Nigeria’s governance project.

Abati tasks media

On his part, Abati urged the media and the citizenry to take active part in the constitution amendment efforts.

Recalling the controversies that greeted Jonathan’s recent suggestion of a single tenure for president and governors and allegations that the ongoing amendment was part of the president’s plan to get re-nomination, Abati said the President harboured no such plans.

He urged the media to boost the constitution amendment process, partner with the government to provide leadership and show direction for the citizenry.

Relatedly, Iredia, who said he did not really believe in constitution amendment because the country had been amending constitutions since 1922 with little or no results, stressed the need for effective implementation of the Constitution.