CHRISTIAN ASSOCIATION OF NIGERIA (CAN).
PRESENTATION OF MEMORANDUM DURING THE PUBLIC HEARING ON THE REVIEW OF 1999 CONSTITUTION OF THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA BEFORE THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY TODAY 3 JUNE, 2021 IN ABUJA.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY OF THE MEMO
AREAS OF CORE INTEREST
• Gender Equity, Women Empowerment through Education and Inheritance, Equal opportunities in all Socio-Political Affairs, and 18 years as the age of maturity and for consent for marriage.
• Federal Structure and Power Devolution: A return to the 1963 Republican Constitution: Confederation of Independent Regions or Federation of States or Regions.
• Devolution and Decentralisation of power and Governance system through formal introduction of geo-political zones/regions with clearly assigned roles.
• Constitutional recognition for traditional rulers and religious leaders by strengthening their cultural and social-religious responsibilities.
• Constitutional backing for the operational decentralization and recognition for law enforcement agencies. For example, Sections 214 and 215 (4) of the 1999 Constitution should be expunged.
• Redefining of courts of superior jurisdiction to accommodate the purpose Regional/Zonal system with respective appellate structures.
• Maintain the Secularity of Nigeria: By removing any religion provisions of or if need be, insert also constitutional provisions for Ecclesiastical Courts.
PUBLIC REVENUE, FISCAL FEDERALISM AND REVENUE ALLOCATION:
• Revenue Allocation and Sharing Formula to be guided by the Principles of Sustenance and Benefits to sources of Derivation on the ratio of 70:30 to Regions and Central level respectively.
• Maintain the Financial Autonomy/Independence of the Judiciary.
• Separation of office of the Attorney General from the office of the Minister of Justice.
• Proper constitutional definition of an indigene and residency rights.
• Equality of all persons before the law: Immunity clauses should be expunged.
• Creation of new states for administrative impart and governmental dividends as being advocated for the following:
Southern Kaduna/ Kataf/ Gurara state
Adada state from the present Enugu State
Cross River North state.
Okun state from the present Kogi State.
Okigwe state from the present Imo State.
Oke-Ogun state from the present Oyo State, etc
• Amend Section 3(2) and delete Section 3(6) of the 1999 Constitution to allow for the creation of more local government areas or such autonomous administrative units to be created by the respective regions/confederating units.
• Constitutional Provisions for enforcement of the Fundamental Human Rights.
• Review of the Legislative lists contained in the Second Schedule of the 1999 Constitution.
▪︎ Presented by the Director of CAN’s Legal and Public Affairs,
Barrister Comfort Chigbue.
Note: The same paper was presented in all geo-political zones where the Public Hearing was held.