Constitution review should reflect views of the people – Ndarani

By Ebere Agozie

Abuja, July 11, 2025 (NAN) A Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Mohammed Ndarani, SAN has advised the National Assembly to ensure that the current constitution review reflects the views of the people.

Ndarani gave the advice during a press conference on Friday in Abuja.

He noted that developments in the country today justify the complete overhaul and comprehensive amendment to the 1999 constitution, which was only made as an annexure to a military decree.

He said that the current constitution has gone through five amendments and yet, it is generally believed that it could be much better.

“My stand has always been to draft a totally new constitution but if we must continue to tinker with the same document over and over again, it has to be thorough this time around.

“There have been many efforts to knock it into shape, but with very little success.

“The truth, however is that the constitution has to be fundamentally solid and take into account the special characteristics of the entity for which the document is being drafted’’.

He advised that the process must draw from the peculiarities of Nigeria, the demographics, ethnicity, economic structure as well as the many other variables that make up this complex society called Nigeria.

“There is therefore a great need for the National Assembly to make provision for a proper referendum prior to amendments to those critical areas of the constitution.

“This is what will give the said constitution or act the touch of the people, imbue it with much-needed legitimacy and bring the laws closer to the people and vice versa.

“Considering that the Zonal public hearings are already underway, the voice of the people should be heard to ensure a greater relevance and acceptability of the outcome.

“The world over, constitutions are amended to respond to socio-economic, cultural and political changes, so the amendment process must entail the mass participation of the people’’.

The senior lawyer said that no constitution is entirely good or completely bad. It is believed that it all depends on the people who apply and implement the provisions.

“It must be transparent, credible and rigorous enough to ensure that it is done in the interest of the people, and not to protect the personal interests of some individuals.

“In many instances amendments are seen as a means of protecting vested interests as power blocs see the process as a political poker game, rather than a democratic rearrangement to benefit all’’.

Ndarani noted that Nigeria is a state founded on the principles of democracy and social justice, emphasizing that sovereignty belongs to the people.

“It also mandates the participation of the people in their government as enshrined in Chapter II, Section 14 of the Nigerian Constitution.

“It explicitly states that the people of Nigeria hold sovereignty, and the government’s powers and authority are derived from them.

“It equally ensures the participation of the people in their government through various means, as outlined in other sections and chapters’’.

He, therefore, wondered why the National Assembly removed some submissions of the people especially the one calling for a removal of the immunity clause.

“We are talking about fighting corruption at the highest places and they are refusing to allow debate on the removal of the immunity clause.

“Who told them to remove those submissions, was it the people? Removal of the mmunity clause is part of what the people want.

“The people want to be able to hold their leaders accountable and the removal of the immunity clause will help them gather evidence and prosecute erring leaders.

“We need naked justice. So, why did the National Assembly not allow the views of all the people who have submitted memoranda to be considered?”

He called on the National Assembly members to resist the urge to simply go, sit down in their houses and begin to handpick bills and memoranda according to their whims.

“They should allow whatever is the opinion of people on the people’s constitution to prevail.

“The drafters should listen more to the people and ensure that it is a national dialogue indeed, and a participatory constitutional reform process that reflects the aspirations of all Nigerians.

“The review should result in a responsive and efficient constitution that will address structural, fundamental and emerging issues within the Nigerian Federation.

“With the right constitution to guide the Nigerian nation, this country has the wherewithal to be one of the leading nations on earth,’’ he added.

“Let us put our heads and hands together to realize that greatness.”

The learned silk aligned himself with the indigeneship bill tabled by the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Benjamin Kalu.

Kalu had proposed a bill to grant indigene status to individuals who have resided in a state for 10 years or married a native, which has ignited deep controversy across Nigeria.

“I see it as a progressive move for national unity. Nigerian citizenship is primarily defined in Chapter 3 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended).

“It outlines three ways to acquire citizenship as long as you meet certain requirement by law, one of which is that a person born in Nigeria is a citizen by birth if either of their parents or any of their grandparents is a citizen of Nigeria.

“Nigeria should be operating along global standards by now.

“For example, in the UK or USA once you are a citizen, you have the right to contest for an elective position in any part of the country where you reside.

“Nobody should be prevented from contesting for a position because his parents were not from a particular city, state or locale. Citizenship should take precedence over other mundane considerations’’.

He reiterated that the preamble to the constitution says that `we are one indivisible nation, once we are citizens of Nigeria.

“That means that you take a position based on citizenship in the state, not on indigeneship. And there should be no discrimination.

“This citizenship provision is saying that Nigeria is one indivisible nation. It is Nigeria first, before individuals.

“That bill is very, very good and I also lend my voice to it, because that should be the ideal situation.

“The constitution should have state citizenship: that is you know where you come from, but once you have your citizenship, like in the UK, nobody will ask you where you are from.

LG Polls: Speaker Obasa charges Lagos West APC candidates to intensify campaigns, assures of the Assembly’s support

…As Lagos Railway Corporation and Ibile Energy Corporation bills scale second reading

Ahead of the local government elections holding Saturday, July 12, across the state, Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Mudashiru Obasa met with candidates of the All Progressives Congress (APC), from the Lagos State West Senatorial District at the assembly complex on Tuesday, charging them to knock on all doors and campaign vigorously until the very last day to ensure victory at the polls.

As a show of support, Speaker Obasa contributed generously to the candidates’ campaign purses and assured them of the Assembly’s unstinting support before and after the elections.

At the meeting, which was attended by all the APC chairmen, vice-chairmen, and councillorship candidates, Speaker Obasa urged the candidates not to rest on the party’s laurels but to maintain momentum and outreach efforts until the very last day of campaigning. “Engage with everyone in the community, regardless of their ethnic background or religion,” he implored, while harping on the necessity for candidates to actively supervise those assigned to manage their campaigns.

The Speaker also admonished the candidates to adopt a mindset centred on service to the people when they assume office, adding, “Your focus should be on serving your constituents with integrity and commitment, and you must have respect for democratic institutions and practices.”

Further, he proudly noted that Lagos remains unique among states in the country, as it grants local government chairmen a four-year tenure per term, allowing for more sustained governance and grassroots development.

The meeting concluded with a palpable sense of urgency and resolve among the APC candidates, as they prepare to take their campaigns to the grassroots, embodying the spirit of service and dedication imparted by Speaker Obasa.

Meanwhile, the Lagos State Railway Corporation bill and the IBILE Energy Corporation Bill have scaled the second reading.

According to the Majority Leader, Hon. Noheem Babatunde Adams, who spoke during plenary later on Tuesday, the proposed ‘bill for a Law to establish the Lagos State Railway Corporation to improve Railway Transportation in Lagos State and for connected purposes’, seeks to provide efficient and reliable transportation services, and establish a Governing Board tasked with overseeing the corporation’s operations.

Hon. Adams, the member representing Eti Osa Constituency 1, said, “With South Africa leading in Africa with a 20,926 km railway network and Nigeria currently at 3,798 km, Lagos, as Africa’s second-largest city economy after Cairo, must take the lead in innovative rail transport solutions.” He added that the bill will set up a standard railway corporation comparable to any across the globe.

Similarly, the House also read for the second time, ‘A bill for a Law to establish the IBILE Energy Corporation’, which Hon. Sobur Oluwa, chairman of the House Committee on Energy and Mineral Resources, described as a transformative one for the state’s energy landscape.
“If passed into Law, the corporation will attract innovation, investment, and reshape the energy sector of the State,” he said.

In his remarks, Speaker Obasa commended the essence of the bills and noted that when eventually passed into law, they will mark a significant advancement in the assembly’s efforts to modernize infrastructure and strengthen the state’s economy. He, thereafter, committed the two bills to the committees on Transportation and Energy and Mineral Resources with a mandate to submit their reports at the earliest possible time.

Tensions Rise as ADC Accuses Tinubu of Targeting Northern Opposition Ahead of 2027

Barely two years to the 2027 presidential election, political tensions are mounting as the African Democratic Congress (ADC) accuses President Bola Ahmed Tinubu of orchestrating moves to destabilise opposition figures in the North East and North West.

In a statement released Monday by ADC National Publicity Secretary Bolaji Abdullahi, the party alleged that the Tinubu administration is attempting to weaken the newly formed opposition coalition by targeting its northern leaders through intimidation and covert meetings.

“We have credible intelligence that former ADC state chairmen and senior executives in the North East and North West are being invited to closed-door meetings with high-ranking federal officials—not for peace or security, but to coerce and manipulate them against the coalition,” Abdullahi stated.

He described the alleged efforts as a deliberate plot to undermine the party’s interim leadership and derail what he called the ADC’s rising momentum as “the new face of the opposition in Nigeria.”

Abdullahi warned that these actions pose a direct threat to Nigeria’s multiparty democracy.

“This is how one-party states are born—through intimidation, sabotage, and political manipulation,” he added.
“Rather than address its dwindling credibility among Nigerians, the APC is reverting to an old playbook: destabilise the opposition.”

Internal Crisis Hits ADC

Meanwhile, three members of the ADC have filed a suit at the Federal High Court in Abuja, seeking the removal of the party’s interim leadership led by Senator David Mark and Rauf Aregbesola as secretary.

Despite the internal turbulence, the ADC was formally adopted as the official platform of a new opposition coalition during a high-level meeting in Abuja on July 1. The gathering included key political figures such as Peter Obi, Atiku Abubakar, Nasir El-Rufai, and Rotimi Amaechi.

The coalition emerged amid ongoing leadership crises in the Labour Party, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), and New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP)—signaling a major shift in Nigeria’s opposition landscape ahead of 2027.

APC Responds with Dismissal

In response, the All Progressives Congress (APC) has dismissed the allegations, attacking the credibility of the ADC and its spokesperson.

APC National Secretary, Ajibola Basiru, questioned the legitimacy of the ADC’s current leadership and insisted that the party must secure recognition from the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) before making public statements.

“We do not recognise Bolaji Abdullahi as a spokesperson for any political party,” Basiru said.
“Until the ADC regularises its leadership with INEC, it lacks the standing to accuse anyone.”

Similarly, APC Director of Publicity, Bala Ibrahim, dismissed Abdullahi as untrustworthy, referencing previous comments allegedly made by him about the difficulties of being truthful as a political spokesperson.

“This is a man who once admitted publicly that being a party spokesperson required lying. Now, he wants Nigerians to take him seriously?” Ibrahim said.
“The APC has no reason to fear the ADC, which has been in chaos since its unveiling.”

Calls for Democratic Safeguards

Despite the political mudslinging, the ADC doubled down on its claims, urging President Tinubu to rein in any appointees engaged in actions that threaten the country’s democratic foundations.

“The President must show Nigerians that he is committed to democracy. If the previous government had silenced opposition as is being attempted now, the APC would never have come to power in 2015,” Abdullahi stated.

He reaffirmed that the ADC’s coalition movement is “an idea whose time has come” and vowed that the opposition would resist any attempt to turn Nigeria into a one-party state.

“We will not allow a handful of desperate men to hijack this country. This party belongs to every Nigerian who is tired of lies, hardship, and political manipulation.”

As the 2027 elections draw nearer, all eyes remain on how both the ruling party and the emerging coalition will navigate rising tensions—and whether Nigeria’s democracy can withstand the pressures of political rivalry.