Southern Leaders Seek New Nigeria Constitution

Some Leaders of Thought in Nigeria have called for a new constitution as they believe its the only way the country could be politically restructured.

The leaders, who converged on Lagos on Thursday for a meeting, unanimously declared that restructuring cannot be actualised by an amendment of the 1999 Constitution.

They said a new constitution approved by the Nigerian people at a referendum is needed.

Chairman of the group Prof. Ben Nwabueze told journalists that the view by some Nigerians that the 1999 Constitution cannot be entirely replaced by a new one is wrong.

He said, “We think the way for Nigeria is for the people, in exercise of the power inherent in them as a sovereign people, to make, through a referendum, a new Constitution, consisting a new political order. The process must be led by a President, as the elected leader of the people imbued by an ardour for change.

“We members of Southern Leaders of Thought are committed patriots, imbued with an abiding faith in one Nigeria, and the belief that the majority of Nigerians share the same faith.”

Nwabueze further called on the Nigerian government to allow citizens to negotiate changes in governmental structures needed to accomplish their desires.