Nigeria: More Constitution Amendments Coming, Says David Mark

Kunle Akogun and Onwuka Nzeshi

13 June 2011

Abuja — The 1999 constitution, which has witnessed three amendments in the last one year, will still go through another process of review, Senate President David Mark has hinted.

Indications have also emerged that lawmakers elected on the platform of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) in the House of Representatives will soon ignite a fresh agitation for the restoration of fiscal federalism, review of the current revenue allocation formula as well as the creation of more local governments.

Mark, who was speaking at the weekend during a grand reception in his honour by his Otukpo, Benue State kinsmen, declared his resolve to see to further amendments, particularly in order to create additional states.

The 2010 amendments focused mainly on electoral reform, leaving many Nigerians disappointed because of the silence on the creation of more states, among other proposals.

Mark, who was returning home for the first time since his re-election as Senate President last Monday, said the creation of additional states would be in the interest of Nigerians, as it would spread development to every nook and cranny of the country.

He assured the Idoma people on the creation of Apa State, reiterating his resolve to ensure that constitution amendment continues so that “the dream of our people will be realised”.

He said: “I am committed to it and I believe that creation of additional states will be in the interest of our people because development will be nearer to them.”

Meanwhile, the ACN members in the House of Representatives are set to push for further amendments to the constitution.

THISDAY gathered that the ACN, which is fast becoming the dominant opposition political party, has mandated its representatives to set a new agenda for the 7th session of the National Assembly based on these three fundamental issues in order to deepen democracy in Nigeria.

One of the lawmakers elected on the platform of the ACN, Hon. Solomon Adeola, told newsmen at the weekend that Nigeria’s democracy would be better if these issues were addressed quickly.

Adeola, who represents Alimosho Federal Constituency, Lagos State, said his party was equally concerned about the issue of corruption, adding that he and his colleagues were out to push for better legislations to tackle the menace.

“In the 6th National Assembly, the ACN had less than 20 members; today we have 70 members and with a total number of 152 opposition lawmakers, including ACN, that shows that the current House, although dominated by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), does not have the required two-thirds to move on. All they have is a simple majority and issues bordering on constitutional amendment will require two-thirds of the entire 360 members.

“Do not forget that the constitution review is in phases. The first phase has gone and the subsequent phases which border on this fiscal federalism revenue allocation formula and other issues are still there to be tackled. I can assure you that all these issues will be tackled in the next four years,” Adeola said.

Another lawmaker, Hon. Babatunde Adewale (ACN, Apapa Federal Constituency, Lagos), also confirmed the agenda of the party.

According to Adewale, the issue of fiscal federalism could no longer be treated with levity because of its relevance to economic growth and the wellbeing of the electorate.

He also advocated that all members of the 7th House of Representatives should be made to undergo a re-orientation that would not only enhance their capacity to identify genuine national issues but also help re-shape their conduct and attract positive corporate image to the House.

“We must work towards achieving fiscal federalism before the end of the tenure of this 7th National Assembly. If we have fiscal federalism, a lot of problems will be solved. The problem of power, unemployment, and all other problems relating to the economy will be solved if we have fiscal federalism because every state should be able to know what to do to improve on the lives of its people. But when we continue to concentrate everything at the centre, I am afraid, things will not go well.

“It can be achieved. It is just a matter of education. We have to educate the people and let them know its importance. All states have potentialities. No state is poor in this country. But we refused to tap those potentials now because of the system of government we are running. If we seriously go into fiscal federalism, the potentialities of every state will naturally come up. But the system now makes us to be so lazy,” he said.

The first amendment to the constitution was followed with another one in order to accommodate a change in the dates for the 2011 elections, while a third one was done to accommodate the National Industrial Court.

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