Discrimination
By Alex Enebeli
Enugu, June 11, 2024 (NAN) Former Enugu State Governor, Sullivan Chime, has cautioned against incessant amendments of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria saying that such act defaces its original character.
Chime made the call in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) while reacting to the 25th Democracy Day Celebration on Tuesday in Enugu.
He said that the constitution should be a sacred document and not something that could be amended anyhow.
“Since 25 years of democracy, how many times have they amended Nigeria constitution, making it so ridiculous. The more amendment they make, the more problem they create. Let’s take the constitution seriously.
“I remember when we came in, governorship election cases used to terminate at the Court of Appeal but now it gets to Supreme Court because of amendments,” he said.
Chime however, advised the federal government and the National Assembly to be careful with the manner and way they amended the country’s constitution, noting that they had completely defaced the original character of the constitution.
The former governor, who is also a constitutional lawyer, also decried how Nigerians including its governments were segregating one another on the grounds of their state of origin, religion and sex.
According to him, this is unconstitutional and the constitution does not allow it because we are one Nigeria.
“Someone would fill a form and would be asked to fill his or her state of origin when he or she is a Nigerian.
“It is sad that when we talk about South-East and referring to Igbos, Southwest, Yorubas and North, Hausas. Zones were created for administrative purposes.
“It shouldn’t be so. May God bless Nigeria for reversing back to our old National Anthem that sees us as brothers.
“We are barred by the constitution from discriminating against any Nigerian on certain grounds, including where the person is from, circumstances of birth, religion, sex and others.
“But unfortunately, the governments are championing this discrimination by asking people their places of origin instead of where their states of resident.
”Nigerians should be able to decide where they want to settle and adopt as their homes, Allow us to be adopted as Nigerians, not Igbo Hausa, Yoruba or Ijaw.
”All these divide Nigeria. This is why we still have the clamour for creation of states and autonomous communities,” he said.
He explained that the zones were created for administrative purposes, stressing that it had nothing to do with where one was born or who someone’s father was.
“The National Assembly should make a law criminalizing violation of these provisions with stiff punishments,” he said.
He explained that those rights were provided for by the constitution but were not made justiciable, meaning that one could not go to court to challenge any government or individual based on it.
According to him, the barriers should be removed and make those rights justiciable as well as court delving into such matters.
“All these shouldn’t play any role in governance and government should be interested to where citizens were born or their place of residence while the federal character system should base on where one stays.
On security, Chime called for the removal of roadblocks by security agencies especially the military, on the nation’s highways and wondered what they were doing blocking the roads.
“How can government be building roads and the next thing you see security men blocking it with bags of sands. If you remove these people from the road, we will have peace without roadblocks.
“I can’t remember when any kidnapper is being arrested at check point but on the contrary we have heard of people trying to pay ransome beside check points,” he said.
He, however, called for the introduction of city and highway patrol vehicles, arguing that with it, kidnappers would disappear from Nigeria roads.
On the clamour for State Police, the former governor said that it would not work because states could not afford it.
”State governments should work with the police and provide resources for them. We don’t wait for the Federal Government to provide everything to sustain them.
“Under the law, the Commissioner of Police reports to the governor who is the Chief Security Officer of the state. As a governor, if you are having issues with the police commissioner, you call for a change with genuine reasons,”.
On democracy day, the former governor said that June 12 was the appropriate date to celebrate the day pointing out that not all states were inaugurated on May 29.
Chime congratulated President Bola Tinubu and Nigerians on the celebration of uninterrupted 25 years democracy and urged the citizenry to support the president on his people oriented programmes and policies.
“We are one Nigeria. Nigeria we hail thee,” Chime concluded. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)
AAE/MNA
Edited by Maureen Atuonwu
