NASS on another constitutional alteration jamboree
On July 15, I was among the eminent panellists who discussed the ongoing alteration of the Nigerian 1999 Constitution on Tuesday Live on NTA. The programme, anchored by veteran broadcaster Cyril Stober, had on the panel Chief J.S. Okutepa, SAN, Prof. Dakas J.C. Dakas, SAN, Dr Tunji Abayomi and me. During the discussion, we looked at the desirability or otherwise of continuous alteration of our grundnorm rather than having a process-led, autochthonous, people-driven constitution, the kind of which Kenya did in 2010. We also analysed several areas the Constitution needs to be tinkered with. We finally submitted that amending the constitution is not the magic wand that will bring about good governance and prosperity to our dear country, but the right attitude of the operators. The principle of the rule of law stands on a tripod. Supremacy of the law, equality before the law and fundamental human rights. In Nigeria, our successive leaders are in breach of these three c...