Anglican Primate’s Bold Call: Time For A New Constitution

Primate of the Church of Nigeria, Anglican Communion, Most Rev. Henry Ndukuba, rahas urged the Federal Government to initiate a process for creating a new Federal Constitution that truly represents the Nigerian people.

Ndukuba warned that shying away from doing so now under President Bola Tinubu’s administration will amount to postponing the “doom’s day.”

The Primate, who advised on Thursday while addressing the 2024 Standing Committee Meeting at St. Andrew’s Basilica Anglican Church in Enugu, emphasised the need for a Constitution crafted by the people, rather than the current military-imposed document.

“Nigeria needs a new Constitution made by its citizens, addressing the nation’s unique challenges and promoting unity, justice, and equality,” he stated.

“This new Constitution will take into consideration the concerns already expressed in the Sovereign National Conferences and the various calls for the restructuring of Nigeria. Shying away from doing this amounts to postponing the doom’s day,” he said.

The Primate cited the recent #EndBadGovernance protests and ongoing national issues as evidence of the need for a people-driven Constitution. While acknowledging the National Assembly’s efforts to amend the current document, he believes a comprehensive overhaul is necessary.

“This was a clear indication that the people are tired of constant but failed promises by the government to stem the rising cost of living which has imposed severe hardship on most households in the country.

“Furthermore, the often-amplified calls for understanding and sacrifice by those in authority while their lifestyle, actions, and display of affluence and luxury amid scarcity for most people, do not help matters.

“The protest is a clarion call to governments at all levels, especially the federal, to heed the cry of the people, and not scapegoat anyone, as no government can legislate or stop people who are hungry from protesting,” he said.

By adopting a new, inclusive Constitution, the cleric believes Nigeria can move towards a more just, peaceful, and prosperous future, reflecting the aspirations and values of its citizens.

The Primate further added that the only foundational legacy that President Tinubu’s administration needs to lay is that of solid democratic governance and giving Nigeria a civil and democratic constitution that will address the root causes of the xenophobic agitations of the citizens.

The Church of Nigeria also frowned at the hoisting of Russian flags in parts of the country by some protesters, describing it as unacceptable as it is a slide from the norms of protest in Nigeria and appeared to be a play at the unconstitutional change of government, which the church strongly condemned.

“We believe that this ill-advised gambit if not checked, can lead to a breach in our democracy. This incident should be fully investigated to ascertain and deal with the causes and the instigators of this crime.

“Unfortunately, it could be that there are some sacred cows behind this incident, as it seems to have been swept under the carpet. We call for action to mitigate future occurrences,” he said.

The Church also felicitates with President Tinubu and the Nigerian workers on the signing into law of the new minimum wage of N70,000, saying that it is a commendable development.

“However, we call on the government to extend the scheme to cover pensioners, many of whom are living on starvation wages. There is a need for a review of pensions every five years as provided by the Constitutive Law on pensions,” he said.