By Odo Ogenyi, Uyo
The Civil Liberties Organisation (CLO), in Akwa Ibom has said that the recent stakeholders meeting convened by the State House of Assembly on the alteration of the 1999 Constitution of Nigeria did not meet the expectations of the people.
It has therefore called on the Assembly to re-organise a public hearing on the transmitted Constitution (Fifth Alteration) Bills, 2022 for the people of the state to actively participate in the amendment of the Constitution
This was contained in a statement endorsed by its state chairman, Otuekong Franklyn Isong and its Chairman, Intergovernmental Committee, Barr. Godknows Njoku made available to newsmen in Uyo yesterday.
The organization insisted that the just concluded “Stakeholders Meeting” put together by the Assembly’s Ad-hoc Committee on the Transmitted Constitution (Fifth Alteration) Bills, 2022 and chaired by House Leader Comrade Udo Kierian Akpan was inadequate.
The human rights group expressed disappointment that the two days event which took place last week was poorly organised and fell below the standard of all known parliamentary practices.
According to the CLO, “stakeholders invited to such an important parliamentary exercise were not given draft copies of the proposed amendments to the Nigerian Constitution prior to the event and were not given at the event either, hence it was practically impossible for stakeholders to make contributions that will form part of inputs from the people of Akwa Ibom State.”
It maintained that, “the whole exercise was conducted in a manner as though the Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly had a premeditated position to transmit to the National Assembly without the inputs of Akwa Ibom people.”
The pro-democracy group therefore called on the State Assembly to re-organise a public hearing, “whose outcome would reflect the wishes and aspirations of the Akwa Ibom people in the making of the Nigerian Constitution.”
