By Austin Uganwa
An unusual but profound manifestation of democratic value and relevance took root across the 360 federal constituencies’ penultimate Saturday. People from all walks of life gathered at the headquarters of their various federal constituencies to make inputs into the on-going constitution review process. The initiative evidently unique, particularly in framework and application is House of Representatives response to the agitation of Nigerians that the participation base of the constitution review process be broadened to essentially imbue people-oriented constitution.
The public session is enthralling in many respects. One, this is the first time in the history of the constitution review process that input base would be so disaggregated extending into the rural areas such that 360 centres are formally provided for the masses to participate and make contributions. In the past, views and contributions of the masses were collected at the six geo-political zones of the country making it too unwieldy and complex for mass participation.
Essentially, the House’s formula of taking the talk shop on constitution review closer to the people is a somewhat revolutionary approach. This has in no small way boosted grassroots involvement, enhancing participatory approach of the process and thus deepening the inclusive nature of the exercise. The result is that the legitimacy of the process and people’s perception of the document as their own are enhanced given that a significant number of people by this exercise have been provided the opportunity to buy into the process. Far more fundamental is that democratic values arising there from are intensified while the final product can easily pass the test of people’s document.
The intrinsic populist nature of this exercise flowing from its seeming bottom-top approach makes it an unassailable ambush to those agitating for an entirely new constitution, constitutional conference or even sovereign national conference. More importantly, it reinforces the position of the rump of the civil society groups and human rights activists pushing that as a matter of principle and legitimacy constitution should flow from the people and not from an institution such as parliament or the executive arm of government.
Indeed, not a few people believe that the House has critically struck a masterstroke by listening to the aggregate agitations for people-oriented constitution. This is perhaps instructive of the responsive disposition of Aminu Waziri Tambuwal and Emeka Ihedioha-led House to the feelings and aspirations of the masses. It also underpins House’s desirable dynamism to grapple with national issues.
However, a critical assessment of the manner the exercise was conducted across the country Saturday, November 10 indicating a successful outing, it is thus reassuring that the House has commenced on a good note in accomplishing people-oriented constitution . More so as the framework already put in place by Hon. Emeka Ihedioha-headed Constitution Review Committee towards ensuring proper monitoring, collection, collation and sieving is instructive of an exercise designed to succeed.
What is really fascinating and comforting about the unbiased nature of the exercise is the manner the House enlisted the partnership of virtually all the civil society groups in the country including religious organizations, Nigeria Labour Congress and Nigeria Union of Journalists for the programme. The civil society groups played a guard dog role during the conduct of the exercise, authenticating each federal constituency result for onwards transmission to the Constitution Review secretariat in the House of Representatives.
In fact, Aboh Mbaise/ Ngor Okpala Federal Constituency in Imo state, represented by Hon Emeka Ihedioha, Chairman Constitution Review Committee in the House and Deputy Speaker offers a deep insight into how the exercise was conducted across the country penultimate Saturday. It was organized in a public place, Mbutu Secondary School, Aboh Mbaise. By 10 am the venue was filled with all stakeholders – monarchs, politicians, top public servants, women, youths, and so on – they took their seats in designated canopies. There were also religious leaders, members of Nigeria Bar Association, Nigeria Union of Journalists, Nigeria Labour Congress, National Council of Women Society, Imo State Youths Organization and a host of others who arrived early enough to monitor the exercise.
A couple of hours before general discussion and voting commenced some lawyers from the constituency were mandated to take the people through the items on the template, one after the other. Attempts were made by these lawyers to explain the items in English and local language and dialect in such a manner that everybody was brought on the same page for clarity, enhanced understanding and purposeful voting. Those who had further memoranda to present were accorded the time to formally make their presentations. When general discussions and voting commenced the chairman of the occasion, renowned lawyer, Chief Mike Ahamba, SAN made extra efforts to explain to the people in the local language they would understand each item before vote was undertaken on such items. The implication is that people voted on each item on the basis of great awareness and certainty.
The convener of the programme, Rt. Hon Emeka Ihedioha who in his opening remarks advised the people to vote based on their conviction stayed glued to his seat when people voted on the 43 items on the template. He neither uttered a word nor made any known move to influence the voting pattern. Accordingly, the product of the exercise in Aboh Mbaise/ Ngor Okpala Federal Constituency thus becomes the incontrovertible position of the people of the area. Given the reports that filtered in from other constituencies that relive Aboh Mbaise/Ngor Okpala experience it is indeed cheering that this important exercise has taken off on a momentous base.
Dr Uganwa wrote in from Abuja