The Olisa Agbakoba-led committee on People’s Constitutional Dialogue set up by the National Consultative Front, NCFront, has promised to come up with a draft constitution by the end of April 2021.
The draft constitution, NCFront committee said, would be put before critical Nigerian stakeholders and groups for National debate and Dialogue as from May, 2021.
Mallam Abdumajeed B Saa’ad, spokesman of the committee, made this known in a statement he issued on Thursday.
He gave additional details on the proposed activities of the committee in the statement which reads in full: “The present ethnic/civil strife and pervasive insecurity in our dear country, Nigeria is deeply ominous and worrisome and calls for serious concern and concerted interventions from all well-meaning stakeholders and citizens of Nigeria.
“However, the understanding of some of us, advocate of People’s rights, is that government, which is expected to have the control of monopoly of legitimate use of our state power and force is somewhat challenged and overwhelmed in dousing and curbing the heightening anarchy and insecurity in our country.
“It is for this reason and the urgent need to discourage Nigerians from pervading culture of self help that some citizens of conscience in Nigeria were compelled to initiate a major national intervention in form of national consultation and dialogue on the political constitutional future of Nigeria with the aim of engaging Nigerian citizens and critical stakeholders towards rescuing our dear country from the brink of full blown anarchy and imminent collapse.
“As the lead Chair of the historic intervention put together by citizens of conscience under the auspices of the National Consultative Front, NCFront, we wish to state that our team of eminent Nigerians, statesmen and women, are already studying the terms of reference given to us by the initiating body and hope to sit twice per week, from the first week of March, 2021 to come up with a draft Constitution for Nigerian Stakeholders by the end of April, 2021.
“The draft constitution shall however be put before critical Nigerian stakeholders and groups for National debate and Dialogue as from May, 2021 after an opening ceremony which is expected to hold on 1st May, 2021 at a venue to be announced by the Confab Secretariat headed by Dr Hakeem Baba Ahmed with the Support of our Resource Team led by distinguished Senator Mike Ajegbo.
“In the course of our national consultations, we hope to engage the National Assembly, the Judiciary, the Nigerian Presidency, Selected Governors and Speakers of State Houses of Assembly, the Nigerian Governors’ Forum and Key eminent Elders, Selected Leaders of the Civil Society, Labour, Youths, Women, Persons with Special Needs, Traditional and Religious Leaders of our country, among others.
“However, Some of the agenda essential to our mandate are; Devolution of Powers to the Federating Units, Citizens Referendum/Plebiscite, Local Policing, System of Government, Party Democracy, among others.
“Furthermore, a comprehensive programme of action, strategic plan and work schedule of our Committee and the Constitutional Dialogue shall be announced soon by the secretariat to guide our engagements and tasks. However, our committee shall be expected to present to all Nigerians the final draft peoples constitution for subsequent National Referendum not later than October 1st, 2021.
“Finally, our team do wish to urge all Nigerians, Citizens of Conscience and National Stakeholders to support this crucial initiative to rescue and save Nigeria from precipice and brink anarchy and State failure as we promise to do our best to make this historic intervention inclusive and Citizens’ driven.”
