CONSTITUTION REVIEW: Wike accuses APC of plot to strip Appeal Court of powers

The Governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike, has accused the All Progressives Congress (APC) of plotting to use the ongoing constitutional amendment to vest powers on the Chief Justice of Nigeria to set up a panel to hear an appeal from the election tribunal, instead of the president of the Court of Appeal.

The governor called on members of the National Assembly to shun partisan politics and primordial sentiments and work for the interest of Nigerians.

Wike took the positions when the Senate Sub-Committee on Constitutional Amendment for the South-South zone, led by Senator George Sekibo, paid him a courtesy call at the Government House, Port Harcourt, on Thursday.

The governor asserted that he has uncovered a plot by the APC to hide under the guise of the constitutional amendment to deprive the president of the Court of Appeal the power to constitute a panel to hear appeal cases from election petition tribunals.

Also, he frowned at the attempt by APC to also use the Electoral Act amendment process to stop State High Courts from hearing pre-election matters.

According to him, the APC is scheming to exclusively vest the power to hear such matters on the Federal High Courts.

Wike emphasised that it is important at this crucial period of the nation’s history that the National Assembly uses the opportunity of amendment to correct a lot of anomalies in the 1999 Constitution.

He noted that although no constitution can be said to be perfect, a concerted effort should be made by federal lawmakers to deliver a better constitution for Nigeria.

Wike urged the members of the National Assembly from the South-South geopolitical zone to canvass for an upward review of the 13 per cent derivation to 50 per cent.

Read also: Afenifere advocates restructuring rather than Constitution Review

Furthermore, he tasked them to press for the devolution of power, creation of state police, and strengthening of the federal character, stressing that the prevailing situation where only persons from a certain section of the country were appointed to sensitive positions was unacceptable.

“I think this is an opportunity for members of the National Assembly to say they are working for the interest of Nigeria and not for the party they belong to. Because at the end of the day, if anything happens to the country, you will all be affected,” he said.

Meanwhile, he called for the creation of one more state in the South-East, noting that leaving the South-East with only five states when all other geo-political zones have a minimum of six states was the height of injustice.

Wike said, “There is no way the South-East should continue to have only five states. It is very unfair. Since other regions have six states, South-East should be made to have six states.”

In his remarks, Sekibo, Chairman of the Committee covering Rivers, Akwa-Ibom, and the Cross River States, said the National Assembly has virtually completed the first processes of the review of the 1999 constitution.

“The House of Representatives and the Senate alone cannot amend the constitution of this great country, so we have come to reach out to our people to collate their views and inputs.

“The constitution actually is supposed to be a law that is made by the people, and so, we are here to collate views from major stakeholders in these three states and when we get back to Abuja, we will see how we can harmonize their views and those of other stakeholders already sent to us,” he said.

By Victor Uzoho…

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