Members of the civil society in Nigeria have expressed grave concerns over the development of certain trends and happenings in the nation at this time.
In a private chat with media executives in Lagos, foremost Commercial lawyer and former President of the Nigerian Bar Association, Dr. Olisa Agbakoba, SAN, expressed concern for critical issues, which are uppermost on the minds of every adult Nigerian.
Amongst these, he highlighted the National Conference, Justice Delivery, Immigration Policies and the 2015 elections.
According to the former bar leader, some the recommendations of the Presidential Advisory Committee on National Dialogue are a source of concern of many Nigerians and the civil society.
We are generally disappointed with some of the recommendations of the committee,” he said, Noting further that the Agenda and Structure of the conference was fundamentally wrong.
“Rightly or wrongly, Nigerians want to see something new – whether right or wrong. So, we are shocked that the Presidential Advisory Committee on National Dialogue recommends that, the constitution should simply be amended. And not only that, they go further to say, that after the National Conference would’ve produced a report, that it should go to the national assembly who would now further amend it. How can that be called a constitution by the Nigerian people?
“We absolutely reject that,” he stated.
“What we want to see is a brand new constitution that is home-grown, owned by Nigerians, subject to referendum, sent back to the President, given to the National Assembly (whose only power is to pass into law. This is what Nigerians want to see and the Civil Society has put forward this position.
Another significant failing pointed out by the civil society, was the structure of the committee.
Decrying the recommendations of the committee which states that representation should be on the basis of Federal constituencies delineated by INEC, the Former Bar leader stated, “We disagree with this recommendation. Whether we admit it or not, we have ethnic nationalities and sub nationalities that make up the Nigerian state. Thus, the unit of representation should be ethnic nationalities.
“Though we concede that other interest groups should be represented, we have to agree that People don’t make up Nigeria, as the country is made up of ethnic nationalities. To this end, the backbone of a National Conference should be these ethnic Nationalities. It is the tension between these ethnic nationalities competing for political power that has resulted in the failure of the Nigerian State”
Adding that, the ethnic nationalities that must come together to decide whether they want to have, be it as it may, a “loose federation, a confederation, or even a break-apart. It is for them to say.”
Speaking further on justice administration, he announced the judicial system in Nigeria has failed. “A country where a simple civil matter takes five to ten years to resolve, is a failed state.”
He recommended a ‘Çase-flow Management System’ for Speedy dispensation of Justice in the country stating that, “the Speed of Justice Project 2014” is designed to ensure case flow in courts.
“The court should be a legal clinic where legal problems like patients are diagnosed and resolved in three days,” he reiterated.
The Rights advocate also stressed the need for an immigration policy to stop the inflow of traffic into Nigeria.
According to him, the present immigration policy puts the Nigerian economy and business at a disadvantage. It creates two sets of Nigeria. First is a Nigeria, with Free Trade Zone for consumption and export and second, a Nigeria completely excluded.
On a final note, Dr. Agbakoba warned that INEC must begin preparation (latest) in July if it was to conduct a successful election in 2015.
He observed that there was need for massive civic education of critical stakeholders, and urged the commission to comply strictly with the Electoral Act.
