JNI Jigawa Chapter Proposes 21 Amendment Bills

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A COMMUNIQUÉ ISSUED AT THE END OF A ONE DAY STAKEHOLDERS ROUND TABLE MEETING ON THE PROPOSED 21 AMENDMENTS BILLS OF THE NIGERIAN CONSTITUTION AND RESTRUCTURING OF THE NATION ORGANZZIED BY JNI

Introduction

The members of National Assembly had cast their votes in favour of altering sections of the constitution as proposed by 21 out of 33 amendment bills in respect   of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as debated. It is in realization of this, that the JNI Jigawa State organized a one day Stakeholder’s round table meeting on constitutional amendment and restructuring of the Nation held on Thursday 12th Safar, 1439 (2nd November, 2017) at its’  State Headquarters, Yalwawa, Dutse, Jigawa State.

The meeting was attended by community leaders, various Islamic Organizations, community base organizations, civil society organizations, ulamahs, students, traders, farmers, Federal and State government Agencies, media houses and other relevant stakeholders, chaired by Matawallen Ringim, Engr Alhaji Kamilu Abubakar who was appointed by the participants to preside over the meeting as a result of failure to reach the proposed Chairman, Hon Justice (Rtd) Alhaji Tijjani Abubakar, Dan Ruwatan Dutse, who wasn’t receive the invitation up to the appointed time of the meeting

The prominent people attended, were the representatives of His Royal Highness, Emir of Ringim, under the leadership of Madaki of Ringim, Alhaji Bashir Magaji, Mallam Musa Haruna, Director of Religious Affairs as representative of the Secretary to the State Government, State Chairman of Christian Council of Nigeria (CCN) and   observers from two neighboring states; Bauchi and Kano.

Three papers were presented during the meeting, which after the participants were able   to make remarkable contributions and expressed their personal point views.

The papers presented   were:

Procedure for the constitutional amendment, presented by Bar Nazifi Ibrahim on behalf of Bar Baffa Alhassan, State Chairman Nigerian Bar Association (NBA)

Sections of the constitution so far debated and voted by NASS, Presented by Mallam Muhammad Musbahu Basirka, Chairman Collation of civil societies, Jigawa State.

Citizen’s responsibilities on the constitutional amendment, presented by Alhaji Isah Surajo of PERL-ELP in Jigawa State.

Succeeding to the presentations and the participant’s discussions on the matters, observations   and resolution were made as follows:

Observations:

The participants observed with keen interest that, this kind of meeting would tremendously enhance public awareness on matters related to the state and nation, which could promote justices, transparency and encourage patriotism, discipline and moral value inculcation.

Most  of the amendments  debated and voted by NASS  on the Nigerian constitution were not from the grass root citizens;  rather  are the  efforts of the people  representatives  in upper and lower houses, that why most of the exertions on the matters reflect the interest of those who hold  positions of power and manage  our resources,  the participants point of views are; the  common  man’s  security, health, his socio economic challenges, educational growth, goodness and decency were not adequately considered.

People are enthusiastic to be acquainted with all what is happening in the three tiers of governments. seeing that;  democrat nation is govern for people and by the people, transparency and easy access to  information are among it’s  characteristic, while  Justice,  appropriate and efficient  satisfactory services delivery are the longing  of every  citizen.

The participants delighted with the participation of Federal and State government’s   agencies in the round table meeting, their tender,    confidents, and helpful statement indicate goodwill with deepest hope of forwarding people’s opinions  to the appropriate authorities.

On the restructuring of the Nation, observations were being made on debates carrying out in the Country with indifference tunes, disparate angles and perspectives.

Resolutions

In consequence to the above presentations and observations, the participants made the following resolutions:-

Issues on the constitutional amendments requires wider and extensive  people participations for adequate  inputs and well-link   recommendations before passing to the State House Assemblies for rectifications, as  law makers at all levels are bound by nature of their duties  to enact  laws  and amendments in the constitution with  relevant and ample representations of  the electorate point of view at constituency levels, in the manner  which can help in stabilizing  peace, unity of the country,  security,  economy growth as well as improving  peaceful social intermingling and  the well being of  the citizens.

In addition to the twenty two (21) amendments debated and voted by NASS, there is need for additional   considerations,   as the participants expressed incitement on   promotion of educational systems which could enable atmosphere for granting self empowerment, discipline, moralities and   patriotism.

For the vital role of traditional institutions in running of the nation’s affairs the participants  emphasized on inserting  roles of  traditional rulers  in the amendments, with exaggeration that; the community leaders,    play very vital roles in the nation security, unity,   peace  and harmony,  as do the best on inculcation of  discipline, morality  and respects to the father land.

The secular statue of the nation in the constitution is among subject of concern, as religion have a strong influence to  our life styles,  emotional attitudes, and outlook  of the Nigerian,   enacting  laws which could accommodate  religion as part  of us  need to have special considerations in nature of exploiting  useful approaches for  adhering and promoting tolerance and understanding, encourage National development, sincerity,  patriotism and self-confidence.

The majority of participants are in support of  political self government  for  the  Local Government councils with encompassing  of   the Nigerian Security and Civil DefenSce  Corps,  independent  candidacy, autonomous  of the auditor generals and state house of assemblies were  the area of interest to be inserted in the Nigerian constitution.

On the restructuring of the Nation, there were no harm in the present structure of the Nation,  the better ways of accommodating Nigerian as one entity nation are  justice,  transparency and adhering to the rule of law, equal  opportunity, fairness, justice  and tranquility are among  the  importance phenomenon  for peaceful coexistence,   unity and development.

The participants call on the  people to consider the past history of the Nation and see how the present structure came up, the country growing in stages,  we as citizen of the Nigeria  consider the fairness of the present constitution, it gave every constituency opportunity  to have representatives in the Senate and House of Representatives, power is  sharing between the three arms and three tiers  of government with adequate provision for representation  in planning, legislations, decision making and executing, but  agitations for restructuring  is   exasperating, it aims at granting ethnics states, regions or republics inside  an unified nation,  which in sequence it could lead to collapse of wall so far and solidly  constructed in a way to occupy all Nigerians.  In this regard, the round table meeting was strongly appealing for mounting of awareness on menace of restructuring as to block any possible division in the country.

Signed

Muhdababangida

Muhammad Ahmad Babangida,

State Branch Secretary

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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