Ohanaeze Ndigbo demands immediate Sovereign National Conference for Nigeria

Apex Igbo socio-cultural organisation, Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, has called for the immediate convocation of a Sovereign National Conference to produce what it described as a constitution that genuinely reflects the aspirations, diversity and democratic ideals of Nigerians.

In a statement issued on Wednesday and signed by its factional President-General, Chief Omenazu Jackson, the group argued that none of Nigeria’s constitutions had emerged from the sovereign will of the people, insisting that the country’s constitutional history has been shaped by colonial authorities and successive military regimes.

According to Ohanaeze, the colonial constitutions, including the Clifford Constitution of 1922, Richards Constitution of 1946, Macpherson Constitution of 1951 and Lyttleton Constitution of 1954, were designed by the British colonial administration to advance imperial interests rather than the aspirations of Nigerians.

The group also contended that the Independence Constitution of 1960 and the Republican Constitution of 1963 were products of elite negotiations rooted in colonial structures and did not emerge from a sovereign constituent process involving the Nigerian people.

It further maintained that the 1979 Constitution, the aborted 1989 constitutional experiment and the current 1999 Constitution were all products of military rule and lacked the legitimacy that comes from popular participation and approval through a referendum.

Ohanaeze said the absence of a people-driven constitution had contributed to persistent national challenges, including disputes over federalism, resource control, devolution of powers, state police, electoral reforms, fiscal justice and national cohesion.

The organisation said Nigeria could no longer continue to operate under a constitutional framework that was not freely adopted by its citizens, stressing that a truly democratic nation should be governed by a constitution made by the people.

According to the group, a Sovereign National Conference would provide an opportunity for Nigerians to collectively determine the country’s political structure and address issues affecting unity, governance and democratic development.

Ohanaeze proposed that each ethnic nationality should nominate and sponsor its own delegates without financial support or interference from any level of government. It also recommended equal representation for all ethnic nationalities, irrespective of population or geographical size, to ensure fairness and mutual respect.

The organisation further proposed that no government should appoint, screen, fund or influence delegates, while the conference should independently determine its venue, procedures, committees and timetable.

It added that the conference’s resolutions should not be subject to amendment, rejection or interference by any arm of government, and that the constitution adopted by delegates should become the country’s supreme law.

Ohanaeze urged the Federal Government, the National Assembly, traditional rulers, civil society organisations and other stakeholders to support the call, saying it was necessary to promote peace, justice and national renewal.

“We firmly believe that Nigeria can no longer continue to operate under a constitutional framework that was not born out of the genuine will of the people.

“A truly democratic nation must be governed by a Constitution made by the people, for the people, and with the full consent of the people. The time has come for Nigerians to sit together, in sincerity and patriotism, to determine the structure, principles, and future of their country,” part of the statement read.

Ohanaeze Ndigbo demands immediate Sovereign National Conference for Nigeria