Former Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Chief Kanu Agabi, SAN, has said that there is nothing wrong with Nigeria’s Constitution.
He said this on Monday in Abuja at a summit of Forum of Former Deputy Governors of Nigeria (FFDGN), organised for serving deputy governors to deepen good governance.
“There are some who feel that the Constitution is an invalid document, it is illegitimate, it is a product of the Military. That is a wrong position. We have a constitution and must observe it. There is nothing wrong with our Constitution. Even if it is a broken down vehicle, it is the vehicle that we have.
“However good the Constitution is, it is not a self-enforcing document; it requires good people to enforce it. It is not intended to be a perfect document. The nation must begin to respect the Constitution,” Agabi said.
He also frowned at the relegation of deputy governors across the states, a situation he described as contrary to constitutional provisions.
While also noting that Nigeria needs a National Integration Commission to foster unity, he urged the present federal administration to come to terms with dissenting voices in a manner that would bring about national unity.
He said, “We should have a National Integration Commission. Once a nation adopts a presidential system of government, unity is no longer optional. I appeal to the Federal Government to come to terms with people who dissent this administration.”
On his part, the Chairman of the FFDGN and former deputy governor of Abia State, Dr. Chris Akomas, urged all sectors and the citizenry to rally round to ensure the country’s progress.
He said that Nigerians must match words with practical actions to move the country forward.
He recalled that the organisation was formed sequel to the advice of its Grand Patron, former President, Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, when the pioneer members visited him, then as Acting President in 2010.
“The forum is of the view that a summit of this nature is long overdue, in order to proffer workable solution and better understanding to eliminate the incessant rifts between governors and their deputies. As the National Chairman APC, Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, rightly posited, the citizens of such states should not suffer unduly, being the victims of such avoidable posturing.
“We have evolved over the years and have come up to the stage where we need to play critical roles to advance the cause of building on our democratic structures and also to up the ante, in the Nation- building efforts of the Forum, in order to positively touch more lives in the polity,” Akomas said.
