Senate President, David Mark, got a dose of partisan attack from the pan-Yoruba socio-political organisation, Afenifere Renewal Group (ARG), on Wednesday over his comment that a Sovereign National Conference (SNC) is not workable under the 1999 Constitution, as amended.
The group, in a statement signed by the Media/Publicity Secretary, Mr. Kunle Famoriyo, said: “It is an assault to peace-loving Nigerians, who have always bent over backwards to accommodate deepening levels of bad leadership in the country. We equally found Mark’s statement as an indirect confrontation on Nigerians to show their denunciation of the 1999 Constitution through their conduct”.
The group insisted that convening a Sovereign National Conference was desirable in Nigeria to chart a new constitution that will properly transfer sovereignty to democratic structures.
It insisted that it was only when SNG was convoked that there could be lasting peace, progress, development, and freedom for all in Nigeria.
The statement reads: “Sovereignty belongs to the ethnic nations that constitute Nigeria and it is in politicians’ interest that a Sovereign National Conference be convoked to chart a new constitution that will properly transfer this sovereignty to democratic structures. Only then can there be lasting peace, progress, development, and freedom for all in Nigeria.
“Why is the National Assembly afraid of referendum if not because it is afraid that many of its activities are perceived as illegal in the minds of Nigerians? Referendums have been held even in countries like Norway where it is not constitutionally recognised. Therefore, NASS has no excuse for not subjecting its constitution amendment process to referendum.
“A Nigerian, Obiageli Ezekwesili, had at a time challenged the federal government to a public debate on its reckless spending. Lately, she had challenged National Assembly also to a public debate. While we salute Ezekwesili’s patriotism, we are saying the country needs more than a public debate; we need a national dialogue.
“To continue to put it off is to reinforce the growing perception that there is a ruling elite controlling Nigerian economy to the deprivation of the masses. Such perception never ends in comics and it pays to do things right when we are all still smiling. Nigeria is negotiable”, it stressed.
