1999 constitution cannot resolve Nigeria’s challenges – Anyaoku

A former Secretary-General of the Commonwealth, Emeka Anyaoku, said on Saturday the 1999 Constitution would not adequately address the country’s economic predicaments and other challenges.

Anyaoku stated this in a chat with journalists at his country home in Obosi, Idemili North local government area of Anambra State.

He said poverty, insecurity, and dilapidated infrastructure, among others, were serious challenges bedeviling the country.

The National Assembly has commenced moves to amend several sections of the 1999 Constitution to meet the yearnings of Nigerians for a new constitution.

“I am on record for saying that these challenges cannot be effectively addressed under the constitution and governance system we have at the moment.

“We cannot effectively address these challenges that have assumed nationwide dimension especially insecurity which has pervaded the Northern part of the country and other communities,” the ex-Commonwealth scribe stated.

He stressed that the current constitution was a departure from the ones the nation’s founding fathers negotiated and agreed upon.

READ ALSO: Senate to complete 1999 constitution amendment in two years

He added: “The constitution for a pluralistic state as Nigeria, we have to return to those principles of the constitution as earlier agreed by our founding fathers.

“Until we do that, I am afraid that we cannot effectively deal with the challenges facing the country.”

On the sit-at-home in the South-East and the negative effects on the economy, the elder statesman said the directive had caused great damage to the country’s economy.

“The sit-at-home has done great damage to the economy of the South-East, I do not support the idea. I think we have to deal with the root cause of the sit-at-home which is the continued detention of the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu.

“Even though the court of law had ordered his release, that word gives those who advocate and participate in sit-at-home the reason for doing so,” Anyaoku concluded.

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