 The Senate has stated that it cannot give Nigeria a brand new constitution as demanded by some social, political and cultural organisations in the country, saying the best it could do was to amend the existing one as it currently is doing. In response to this, second republic politician and leader of the southern and middle belt leaders forum, chief guy Iqoku, fought at the Senate on this position saying that the National Assembly has been on an unending constitution amendment exercise since 1999 and that it is part of the Senate plan to buy time ahead of the 2023 general election. Well, let's get to find out because joining me to discuss this is GDO logo, a legal practitioner. Thank you very much, Mr Logan, for joining us. Good evening. Why is it so out of the powers seemingly of the National Assembly to give us a new constitution being that this constitution has been torn apart into different pieces by many legal practitioners, including SANs across the country, saying that what we need is a new constitution and we need to jettison this one. But the National Assembly is hell bent on amending this one. Nine of the Nigerian constitution in 1999 as amended, the only power available to the National Assembly is to amend the existing constitution. And if we are asking for a fresh constitution entirely, then there is also a need to amend section nine of the Nigerian constitution. But in the absence of that, the best we can have now is for them to proceed. But we know also that it is possible to amend the present constitution in a way that gives us almost a brand new constitution. Because what are we talking about here? People are demanding for justice. People are demanding for equity. People are demanding for, you know, fairness. People are demanding for prosperity. People are demanding for unity. The basic elements of having a democratic government, not just that, of having good governance. And if the portions of the constitution that are hindering the manifestation of these expectations are amended, then we may begin to move in the direction of national development. And I use that expression purposefully. I have argued that there is no perfect constitution in any part of the world. What happens is that at least the core provisions of the constitution that will ensure the security and prosperity of the people are implemented and respected. And if this has been the case, for example, if, as we speak now, there are no symptoms of nepotism in Nigeria, we have the dollar rate, for example, is about $109 to $8. The pump price of petroleum is friendly to all. There's no hunger in the line. We don't have the head of farmers' class. We don't have the kidnapping and the banditry. There is peace in the land. There is progress in the land. Who will be debating if they need to amend constitution or to call for a fresh constitution? So for people like us, I think... I think that we lost the connection there with Barstow logo, but let's hope that we can get him back quickly. Barstow logo, can you hear me? So what I'm saying is that what are the foundational forces of the present agitations? If the Godmen can attend to them, then the climate for a new constitution will not be there. We know we've had conditions in the past. It's been amended in the past. But even if we succeed in having a fresh constitution now, and we still have the division in the country, we still have nepotism, we still have poverty in the land, then of what essence is that new constitution? And that is the arguments of us are putting forward. But can we look at implementing what we unite us, what we bring patriotism to the citizens, and what we bring prosperity to the people? If we can do that, then we'll be less bothered about the document called the constitution. So how do we go about getting those things? If many pundits have said that the main problem of this country is the 1999 constitution as amended. So as we are observing all of the constitutional amendments and town hall here or the hearings that we've had in different regions of the country, how certain are we, because the truth is again, how many people are educated enough to understand what sections of the constitution need to be amended and push for it? Yes, we have some legal luminaries in different parts of the country who have attended these hearings. But of course, there are many interests that are being put forward, which is the overall interest of the Nigerian, the common Nigerian in all of these amendments and all of these recommendations. What should be top priority if we must leave with the 1999 constitution as amended? What areas should we be focusing on? Because the unity of this country is most important now more than ever. Beautiful question. Let me take you from two angles. Basically, let's look at section 14, subsection two of the Nigerian constitution in 1999 as amended that says that the security and the welfare of the people should be the primary purpose of government. Let's assume now that in the next three months, we don't have the killings and kidnappings that we experience on the daily basis. We are not, some people are not recommending that the government should sponsor a faction of the bandits to combat another faction of the bandits. And you are not afraid to travel around the country. We have peace in the country. That means the government has delivered on that mandate of security. So who will be clamoring for amendment of the constitution? And I have advised that if you go and study section 14 to section 17 of the constitution, you will see the expectations of the government in how to deliver on good governance. If we have implemented what we have there, 60% Nigeria should be the third most prosperous country in the world. And again, let's look at another scenario. Let's assume that the federal government is overwhelmed with the insecurity in the country, but you devolve power to the states in a way that the governor of a state can raise up his own security apparatus. So to say, because under the present constitution, the general police is answerable to the president of the country to the executive and the governor cannot dictate to the commissioner of police. In fact, you can transfer any commissioner of police at any point in time. And I saw people are calling for state policing. Now let's go to the economy. As we speak now, on those that had the second largest deficit of each man in the whole world, but can on those state manage that resource as she desires? The answer is no. It's on the exclusive legislative list. You talk of the gold in Zanfara, the gold deposit in Zanfara. So, and these are issues if you devolve power to the states. This argument of the, uh, at the general of the federation saying that the state governments may not have power to ban open grazing. We not be there. You make laws in your environment. You are free to implement the laws. And if your state accommodates kidnapping, then open the space for kidnapping. If your state appreciates education, invest in education, and that is what people are saying, that if we must be together as a people, as a nation, we must define the elements of our poor existence. And I think I agree with that. But as it is now, we are like under a unitary system where if the federal government sneezes, then you have to go and seek for a nose or face mask somewhere. And it's not the best for the country. I mean, let's look at an example. For example, the central bank of Nigeria is not controlled by any state in the country. Now a dollar is about 500 naira to a dollar. So how do you deal with that? Many companies are closing down. So these are the issues that are bothering us. We need to make progress. The state, the regions you have the capacity to develop. Look at the Niger Delta region now. There is an ultimate hope given to the government that you need to set up the board of the NDDC or else we start stampeding the oil facilities in that region. We don't need all this climate. So if we have a people sensitive governance system that is delivering security and prosperity to the people, we won't have any business debating one concern or not. But like I have said, if we don't have that good governance mindset, you may hire China, America, Australia to decide a constitution for you. If you are not going to implement the constitution in the fear of God and in the interest of the people, it should just be a wasted venture. After all, we had the Confab in 2014 expressing the expectations of the major stakeholders in the country. What have we done with it? Is it rocket science, for example, that people should be secured in their land? Is it rocket science, for example, that people should have minimum reasonable living, minimum wage? Is it rocket science, for example, that people should have affordable housing? And you know that as we have in section 16 of Nigerian constitution, no, these things are possibilities. Is it rocket science that the health facilities in the country should be vibrant enough to even treat our precedent and the citizens that our precedent we have to get out of the country to the UK to have medical facilities? So right now in the nation, there is a very huge trust gap and people are saying if we cannot find solace under this unitary system, then let's amend the document that has bound us together and see how whether at regional level or state levels we can provide for people to secure our environment. Okay. You just touched on something that my next question, sincerity or purpose, because I mean, who's to say that this whole weeks of having these hearings is going to amount to anything because of the precedence that we've had, whether it were under an Abbasanjog government or under a good luck Jonathan, and now under a Bahari administration. What's the sincerity on the path of these politicians? Because of course, at the end of the day, the deliberations come down to them. There are certain regions who have also kicked against certain recommendations, you know, as to this constitutional amendments. So you talked about sincerity, you talked about people having to trust that the leadership will do what's right in the best interest of the people. But can we really muster that trust because of the precedences that we have had? And can we be certain that these things will be implemented to the latter? Or will it again be in the interest of the politicians as they know what they stand again at the end of the day? You know, succinctly presented, I think it lies on the table of the president and commander-in-chief of the armed forces. And some of us have been involved in an argument that a Nigerian president may be the most powerful president in the world. Because if you tell the Americans that, it will tell you know that the American president may be powerful outside America or not within America. We have a presidential system that can allow a president get away with a vision. If my president wants this nation to be peaceful in another six months, he can achieve it. That's what we call lobbying in public relations. You have the opportunity of stakeholders engagement. For example, the recent national embarrassment we had with Twitter. The president is sending a stand warning to the South Easterners, you know, some elements in the South Easterners. We leave you out of space to visit that region, sit down with the people. I just told us about the trust from the Niger Delta region to start destabilizing the oil facilities there. The minister has visited them to discuss with them. I mean, we were all in Nigeria when my respected president and commander-in-chief was ill. He was in the UK. The vice president visited the Niger Delta. He visited Delta. He dosed or so. Having dialogue with stakeholders in that region towards peace. So if we come to a situation where we are piano to have democracy and directives are issued down and people are screaming, let me ask this simple question. Which sector of our national life is not afraid now because of the insecurity? That's a big question. Which one? Look at the impact of our economy. Why should Nigeria be the capital of poverty in the world? I'm asking big questions. Big questions that need answers, but unfortunately we have to go now. Thank you, Gido Logo. He's a legal practitioner. Thank you for being part of this conversation. We'll keep our fingers crossed and of course our eyes will be on the National Assembly to see what comes out of this constitutional amendment. Thank you once again, Mr Logo. We'll take a short break when we come back. It'll be time for my take. Here's my take. Jack Welch once said, before you are a leader, success is all about growing yourself. But when you become a leader, success is all about growing others. Are leaders growing us as a people? What are they doing to grow us as a nation? Are they working tirelessly to make sure that this country progresses and not the other way round? Are the wads and actions of our leaders building us and not tearing us down? Do they have a vision and a purpose for this country? Are they still on cause or have they lost a plot? We're the followers. Let's talk about ourselves, the people of this great country, Nigeria. We also owe it to ourselves to stand for what is right, shunning evil, corruption and not supporting gangsterism. Elections are coming soon and of course campaign season will soon be upon us in no time. What sort of Nigeria do you want going forward? How do we rise from these ruins and stand tall again? Well, it all depends on you and me from the choices that we make from today. So let's make the right one. I am Mary Annacol. Thank you for watching. Have a good evening and of course a beautiful weekend. I'll see you on Monday.