A Senior Advocate of Nigeria, SAN, and Human Rights Lawyer, Mike Ozekhome, on Saturday, said that he does not know why the 9th National Assembly is afraid of a Referendum, or a People’s Constitution,
He said this while appearing on a Channels Television Democracy Day Special Programme.
His exact words: “In trying to restructure this behemoth, this elephantine, this very unwieldy, unitary federation, which passes for a federal system of government, how do we go about it? That has always been the question. And I have never underrated the role of the National Assembly. But the National Assembly itself, on the other hand, does not seem to understand what it ought to do.
“I took on frontally, the Deputy Senate President, Senator Omo-Agege, on this issue penultimate Friday, at the International Conference Centre, where I explained on a blow-by-blow account how to bring about what we call a People’s Constitution, after a Referendum.
“These are words that these people are afraid of. I do not know why they are afraid of a Referendum or a People’s Constitution. It was done in Eritrea, Bangladesh, Iran, Iraq, Egypt, Kenya, South Africa, Singapore, Morocco.
“These people, even with a government in power, were able to start a new document called the People’s Constitution, which was subjected to the people in a Referendum.”
