PFN to N/assembly: Give Nigeria fresh constitution

The Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN), has advocated for the enactment of a new legal document for Nigeria, capable of enhancing the growth of the nation on all fronts.

In the light of this, the group said the ongoing review by the National Assembly, was not necessary.

In a statement titled “Nigeria’s Constitutional Review: PFN’s Stand” and jointly signed by the national president, Francis Wale Oke; national secretary, Cosmas Ilechukwu and national legal adviser, Funmi Quadri, the Fellowship bemoaned the existing 1999 constitution, saying it is fraught with irregularities not helpful in growing of the country.

“PFN is aware of the ongoing constitutional review process being undertaken by the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the public hearing sessions scheduled by the Senate for May 26 and 27, 2021 across the six geo-political zones of the country,” it said. The PFN maintained that the current constitution which serves as the conveyor belt for the administration of the country is anti-people and faulty.

“We declare that the present constitution is not a people’s constitution and does not, in any way, reflect the aspirations and yearnings of the PFN and the people of Nigeria,” it stated.

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The PFN noted that the planned review by amending a segment of the constitution might just be an exercise in futility that cannot meet the expectation of the people.

To this end, the Fellowship asserted that it was joining forces with other groups in the country in repudiating the 1999 constitution, calling instead, for the enactment of a new constitution that would be acceptable and more pliable to the yearnings of Nigerians.

“We stand with the different groups and people across the length and breadth of Nigeria in rejecting the 1999 constitution, and maintain that it cannot deliver a framework for good governance,” said PFN.

The Fellowship further stated that it did not see the ongoing process of ‘proposed alteration to the provision of the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999’ achieving the objectives of restructuring Nigeria; as desired and canvassed by millions of Nigerians and the PFN.