A former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Prof. Tam David-West,
has faulted plans by President Goodluck Jonathan to send recommendations
of the proposed national conference to the National Assembly, saying
they lack the power to amend the constitution.
David-West, who spoke in Ibadan on Wednesday,
said both the President and the lawmakers seem not to understand the
constitution they are using for governance.
He said Section 9 of the 1999 constitution is clear on the procedure
involved in the amendment of the constitution, adding this is contrary
to the current amendment plans.
He described their efforts as a mere “waste of time.”
David-West said, “I am concerned and very much worried for some time
now over how the amendment of the constitution is being discussed by the
National Assembly. I was one of the few people that drafted the 1979
constitution and it is almost the same thing as the 1999 constitution.
It is clear to me that neither the National Assembly nor the President
had any power to alter or add one word to the constitution. I am
surprised that they have not been called to order by the Nigerian Bar
Association (NBA) or any of the numerous legal luminaries in the
country.
“I am saying this because Section 9 of the constitution clearly
provides for how the constitution can be altered or changed. All what
they have done so far are completely at variance with what is provided
for in the constitution. It is an exercise in futility!”
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