***Cancels Opinion Poll On Local Government Autonomy.
The Senate Committee on the Review of the 1999 Constitution has cancelled the ongoing opinion poll on the autonomy of the local government.
The committee had on Sunday said it has flagged off an opinion poll to enable Nigerians make inputs in the constitution amendment process.
The committee also said the opinion poll would, aside from ensure transparency of the process, shield it from being hijacked by political elites.
But according to the Clerk of the committee, Innocent Mebiri, the move to cancel the poll was necessitated by the need to preserve the integrity and credibility of the process as there are attempts by some unpatriotic elements to manipulate the ongoing SMS and online opinion poll on key issues in the present constitution amendment project.
The statement read “there is currently a text message circulating around the country which claims that the Senate is presently voting on a Bill aimed at carving out some large portions of land in certain parts of the country as grazing reserves for the Fulani.
“The text message therefore invites Nigerians to send “NO” response to 20052 which is the same short code being used by the Committee to poll the opinion of Nigerians on issues in the constitution review.
“The Committee condemns this action in its entirety and calls on Nigerians to disregard such as it is a devious propaganda to manoeuvre the outcome of the efforts of the Committee to ensure popular participation by Nigerians in the constitution amendment project.
“Not only is the Senate not currently sitting in plenary, the 20052 short code is entirely dedicated by the Committee to polling the opinion of Nigerians on Constitution Amendment issues and has absolutely nothing to do with grazing reserves.
“While the cancellation of this voting on this particular subject of local government autonomy is regrettable, the opinion poll will resume in earnest.
“The Committee urges Nigerians to be vigilant and only respond to the questions advertised by the Committee in the mass media.”