Lalong says Constitution Amendment Alone Not Panacea To Peace

By Daniel Dauda, Jos.

The Chairman Northern Governors Forum, Governor Simon Bako Lalong has declared that it is not how many times Nigeria amend its constitution that will guarantee its unity, development, peace, and good governance,  rather, it is how committed Nigerians  faithfully followed the constitution and obeyed its provisions that will make the difference. 

Governor Lalong who  made the declaration on Wednesday in Jos, Plateau State at the North Central public hearing on the Review of the 1999 Constitution said every Nigerians ought to be the guardians and defenders of the constitution

" As citizens, we are the guardians and defenders of the constitution who can either make it work or fail by our actions or inactions. No one should be allowed to be above the constitution and at the same time, no one should be put beneath it by those in power or anyone saddled with the privilege of implementing any part of it. The rule of law must prevail at all times to guarantee"

 Governor Lalong who is also the governor of Plateau State  strongly suggested that Nigerian should use this opportunity of the constitution  review to answer very critical questions about the country. 

"Who are we? Where are we and where are we going? How do we intend to get to our destination? What is our guiding philosophy as a people? We mus t be frank with one another and act with the best of intentions. That is the only way this exercise will make a difference and return our country to the path of development".

On restructuring, Governor Lalong said the time has come to thoroughly deal with the matter and ensure that the agitations and anxieties being expressed are addressed. 

He however charged  the participants  to conduct the discussion on the review of the 1999 constitution within the context of the unity, stability, peace and progress of the Country and with open mind to every submission.

"We should also not be ignorant of the desire by some internal or external forces to destabilise our nation by pushing their interests under the guise of promoting constitutional review,

"We have to realise that there is no constitution that will ever resolve all our challenges as a people who are diverse in ethnic, religious, political and tribal affiliations. In any case, the review of the constitution is a continuous exercise that will always arise in response to the demands of the times. What is important at the moment is to ensure that we work towards building national cohesion and stability.

In his contributions, the Chairman Plateau State Council of Traditional ruler the Gbong Gwom Jo's  Da Jacob Gyang Buba said the 1999 constitution was not deep enough to address problems confronting the nation.

According to him, a larger and the most important aspect of the constitution has been thrown away without traditional  institution which hold the history, the  tradition and the culture of Nigerian ethnic Nationalities. 

History is no longer thought in our schools  if not how would  they know who they are, where they are coming from? We have to go back to history to know our roots, so that we know who we are, he maintained.

He said the issue of citizenship and indigenes hip should be thoroughly look into adding that most of the problem in the  country arise from it.

However, the chairman of the  North Central Zone of the Public hearing, Jos centre, Senator  Abdullahi Adamu, announced that the committee has received over 45 Memorandum from various stakeholders from the three states in the zone, namely; Plateau, Benue and Nasarawa respectively.