Politics
1999 constitution skewed in favour of the North – Eminent Nigerians
1999 constitution skewed in favour of the North – Eminent Nigerians
By: Our Reporter
EMINENT Nigerians, including former Chief of Staff, Commodore Ebitu Ukiwe (retd); former Governor of Plateau State, Jonah Jang; Second Republic Senator, Professor Banji Akintoye; President-General of Ohaneze Ndigbo, Chief Nnia Nwodo; former Vice-Chairman of Arik Air, Senator Anietie Okon; Commodore Idongegist Nkanga, (retd); of PANDEF, the leader of Middle Belt Forum, Dr. Bitrus Pogu; former Minister, Prof. Yusuf Turaki and 121 others, yesterday, alleged that the 1999 constitution was skewed in favour of the North.
They also petitioned the United Nations Security Council, African Union, European Union, United States and the British Government on the need to urgently convoke a Sovereign National Conference to discuss the constitutionality of the 1999 Constitution of Nigeria and the 1914 Amalgamation of the Southern and Northern Nigeria within 90 days to save the people from oppression, stagnation and squalor.
The leaders said this after a meeting in Lagos.
The leaders, numbering 127, who spoke under the aegis of the Nigerian Indigenous Nationalities Alliance for Self-Determination, described the 1999 constitution as a fraud; an impunity, hijack and a confiscation of the sovereignties, powers and assets of the South and Middle Belt People of the country by those who clandestinely designed it.
The statement reads: “We gather here this day as Accredited Delegates of the Constituent Component Nationalities of Nigeria, under the aegis of Nigerian Indigenous Nationalities Alliance for Self-Determination, being a Joint-Cooperation Framework for the Self-Determination Initiatives of the Southern and Middle-Belt of Nigeria on behalf of our Various Peoples and Interests, to Pronounce an end to our toleration of Nigeria’s Unitary Constitutional Order, Unilaterally Imposed and Forcefully Maintained by a Section of the Nigerian country, in negation of the federal basis upon which Nigeria became one political union at independence in 1960, and in brutal subjugation of our collective sovereignties currently being forcefully and fraudulently appropriated by the Nigerian State.
“We gather here today before the global community, to formally proclaim a sovereignty dispute in rejection of the further operation of the imposed, unity constitutional arrangements of Nigeria and in assertion of our inalienable right to self-determination.
“The History of the Colonial beginnings of Nigeria as a Commercial Venture of some Colonial Masters is too well-known to admit of any further repetitions here but suffice it to recall:
“That the manipulations that went into the Flawed Foundations laid in the 1914 Amalgamation of the Protectorates of Southern Nigeria with the Protectorate of Northern Nigeria, created a lopsided Union, locking the Diverse Peoples of Nigeria into one Political Union with two mortally opposed civilizations.
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“That as Independence approached in 1960, the Diversities of the Various Peoples of the Nigerian Union Dictated the Adoption of the Federal Constitutional Model by the then three largely Autonomous Regions, (namely Eastern, Western and Northern Regions of Nigeria) as the Basis of entering Into Independence as one Political Union in 1960.
“That amidst the early strains of Post-Independence Nigeria arising mainly from the aforementioned Foundational and Pre-Independence manipulations by the Colonial Rulers of the Nigerian Union, the Military coups of 1966 Truncated the Federal Constitutional Basis of Nigeria and plunged the fledgling Union into a catastrophic 30-Month War with it’s Breakaway Eastern Region between 1967 and 1970, triggered by disputations around the terms of the Nigerian Union and leaving in its trail, human carnage in excess of 3million people and a fractured Union now resting on an Unworkable Unitary Constitutional Order Imposed in 1979, by the Fiat of the illicit “Federal Government” which emerged since the 1966 Collapse of the Federation of Nigeria, Forcefully Hijacking and Confiscating the Sovereignties of the Constituent Component Regions of Nigeria that Federated their Sovereignties in 1960.
“That the Prevailing 1999 Constitution of Nigeria which was a wholesale adoption of the 1979 edition via Decree No.24 of 1999, revalidated and reinforced the aforementioned Hijack and confiscation of the Sovereignties, Powers and Assets of the Four Erstwhile Federating Regions by the aforementioned Illicit Federal Government of Nigeria which by Decrees, fractured the Four Regions into 36 States, that are completely emasculated by a 68-Item Federal Exclusive Legislative List that Comprehensively strip the Federating States of All Key Economic Assets and Governmental Powers, thereby creating a totally dysfunctional, corruption-prone, over-centralized system that has failed in every respect, manifesting in Gross Insecurity, Decayed Infrastructure and Mass Impoverishment such that Nigeria, with its Vast Human and Material Resource Endowments, has now emerged as the poverty capital of the world as well as the Global Leading Example of a failed state.
“There is a countrywide consensus against the Unitary Constitutional Arrangements Imposed incrementally on Nigeria by a combination of Guile, Brute Force and Impunity between 1966 and 1999 now codified by the 1999 Constitution. This countrywide consensus had manifested in Several Unilateral Regional and Joint Multi-Regional Actions in Repudiation and Rejection of the Unitary 1999 Constitution of Nigeria:
“The first indication was when in year 2000, the 12 contiguous states of the far North, Simultaneously Imposed and began to implement Sharia in their 3 Domains against the express provision of the 1999 Constitution which in Section 10, forbids the adoption of any state religion. This translates to a unilateral secession from the Secular Union of Nigeria.
“Between 2005 and 2006, a Sovereign Conference of the Ethnic Nationalities of Nigeria, Convened by the Pro-National Conference Organizations (PRONACO), Deliberated exhaustively and produced A Draft Peoples’ Constitution 2006, which had the potential of restoring Nigeria to it’s damaged Federal Foundations. Though Ignored by successive federal governments in Nigeria, that draft became the New Federating consensus against the Prevailing Unitary Constitutional Order in Nigeria.
“It is pertinent to note that across all the Regions of Nigeria, various Socio-Cultural and Ethnic-Interests Vanguard Organizations have also been vehement in expressing the Constitutional Grievances of their own People, (some even violently), thus on the Yoruba side, we have the Afenifere, the Yoruba Elders Council (YCE), Agbekoya, the Yoruba Liberation Command, (YOLICOM), YWC and many more including the ILANA OMO OODUA which now aggregates Several Yoruba Self-Determination Initiatives across the World.
“In the Eastern part of Southern Nigeria, we have Ohanaeze, Movement for the Survival of the Ijaw Ethnic Nationality in the Niger Delta (MOSIEND); Ijaw National Congress, (INC); Ijaw Youth Council (IYC); PANDEF, Midwest Movement, the Niger Delta Peoples Volunteer Force, (NDPVF), MEND, MASSOB, IPOB, others. In the Middle-Belt, we have the Middle-Belt Forum, (MBF), MBC, SOKAPU, CONAECDA and many others.
“Several notable Statesmen in Nigeria including Generals Olusegun Obasanjo and Yakubu Gowon, both (former Heads of State) have lent their voices to the urgent imperative of the Fundamental Reworking of the Damaged Constitutional Basis of Nigeria, warning that any further delay may lead to the catastrophic collapse of the Distressed Nigerian Union.
“Nigeria’s Former Defence Minister, Lt. Gen. Theophilus Danjuma, (retd) had also urged the Indigenous Peoples of Nigeria facing the Ethnic Cleansing Onslaught of the Murderous invaders to defend themselves and their lands in the face of obvious collusion of the Federal Government of Nigeria and its Armed Forces with the Fulani invaders. In the aftermath of the October 2020 #EndSARS Protests many, including the Nigerian Christian Elders Forum (NCEF) now insist that Nigeria needs to be renegotiated.
“On specific constitutional grievances touching on the sovereignties of the constituent components of the federation of Nigeria, the leaders opined that:
“The claim in the Preamble to the 1999 Constitution that ‘We the People’ Firmly and Solemnly Resolved to live in One Political Union and that we Enacted and Gave Ourselves the 1999 Constitution, is self-evidently false as the Decree No 24 of 1999 by which the so-called 1999 Constitution was Promulgated, outlined step-by-step, the Process by which the author of the 1999 Constitution, the Armed Forces Provisional Ruling Council, came about the Document it labeled “the 1999 Constitution. This is a criminal usurpation of the sovereignties of the constituent components whose Exclusive Right it is to make for themselves the Constitution by which they will federate and be governed, as an incident of their sovereignty.
Even by the admission of the 1999 Constitution at Section 14(2)(a), “Sovereignty Belongs to the People, from whom, Government, through this Constitution Derive all its Powers and Authority.
“This is the fountain from which all other constitutional grievances flow and there is no other remedy to this particular grievance than an autochthonous process by which the constituent components will submit their peoples and their lands into a union, and also stipulate the terms of that union, to be ratified by referendums and plebiscites.”
1999 constitution skewed in favour of the North – Eminent Nigerians
Politics
Mass defection hits Gombe State NNPP, SDP, LP as over 1, 000 leaders join APC
Mass defection hits Gombe State NNPP, SDP, LP as over 1, 000 leaders join APC
Ahead of the 2027 general election, the camp of the ruling APC in Gombe State received a boost as over 1, 000 opposition political leaders and members from Yamaltu/Deba Local Government Area of the state, on Monday defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC).
The opposition leaders and members are from the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP), Social Democratic Party (SDP) and Labour Party (LP).
They were received by Mr Inuwa Garba, member representing Yamaltu Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives in company of Mr Adamu Lambam, APC chairman, Yamaltu Deba LG.
Speaking during the ceremony in Lubo community in Yamaltu Deba LG, Malam Tasiu Isa, the Chairman of Social Democratic Party (SDP) in the council said joining APC was to strengthen the good governance being delivered by the party.
Isa said that Gov. Inuwa Yahaya of Gombe State and President Bola Tinubu have done well for the people through the execution of live-changing projects.
“We, the executives of the SDP from this LG and all the ward executives are joining the APC today and we are more than 500 officials.
“If we join our supporters and members, then we will be talking of thousands of SDP members; we are convinced that APC is the party to be because the party has good governance as evidence,” he said.
Isa commended Rep member Garba for his people-centric approach to representation, saying that Garba’s leadership style was complementing that of Gov. Yahaya.
For Mohammed Hinna, Labour Party chairman, Yamaltu Deba LG, joining APC remained the best option for any patriotic Nigeria who wants to see a better future for the country.
Hinna said with the efforts of President Tinubu and Gov. Yahaya, it would be difficult to remain in opposition, “if you truly a political leader that has the love of the people at heart.”
Mr Adamu Lambam, the APC chairman for Yamaltu Deba said more opposition leaders and members have been joining the APC at the council because of the good governance being delivered by Yahaya in their LG.
Lambam said that the party would continue to welcome anyone who wants to join the APC, adding that “APC is the people’s party because of the developmental strides of Tinubu, Inuwa and Garba.”
Reps member Garba said with the defection, the structure of opposition parties in the council has been weakened and “this is good for APC ahead of 2027.”
Garba said that the performance of Tinubu and Yahaya would make campaigning for APC ahead of 2027 election easier for them when the ban on campaign is lifted in August.
He appealed to members of the APC to remain united while mobilising more members at the grassroots by informing them of the many good things that Mr President and Yahaya have done.
Mass defection hits Gombe State NNPP, SDP, LP as over 1, 000 leaders join APC
Politics
Bayelsa: APC Chieftain Condemns Marginalized Congresses, Alleges Diri’s Plan To Use Isowo As State Party Chairman
Bayelsa: APC Chieftain Condemns Marginalized Congresses, Alleges Diri’s Plan To Use Isowo As State Party Chairman
Faults Akpe’s Nomination, Says Governance Now A Family Enterprise
A chieftain and founding member of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Bayelsa State, Barr. David Perebo has expressed deep dissatisfaction over Bayelsa State Governor, Senator Douye Diri segregational, sidelining mode of conduct of the party ward and local government congresses.
Condemning in strong terms of the segregational mode of conduct of the APC ward and local government congresses across the state, the chieftain described the congresses as witch-hunt of a selected group of stakeholders, leaders in the party.
The APC member condemned the governor deliberate segregation of key stakeholders in various wards and local government areas are geared towards generating division.
Pursuant to the marginalized mode of conduct of the congresses, ward and local government executives of APC in Sagbama addressing the press, expressed dissatisfaction over non-inclusion of critical stakeholders who stood firmly as an opposition in building the party in Bayelsa state.
The party executives said Senator Diri inability to conduct all inclusive congresses in various wards, local governments across the state, has proven beyond shadow of doubt of the governor incapability to manage affairs of the party in Bayelsa state.
Governor Diri who couldn’t manage insignificant affairs of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP leading to Mr George Turnah factional leadership in Bayelsa, has transferred the same attitude from the PDP to the APC barely four months of defection.
The statesmen said the governor has deceptively taken total control of the APC leadership structure in various wards and local government areas across the state, by installing his followers who defected to the APC from the PDP, while excluding old APC members who built the party.
Diri who preach all-inclusiveness in leadership, has deceptively taken over the leadership structures of Brass, Nembe, Yenagoa, Sagbama, Kolokuma-Opokuma, while allowing Sen. Heineken Lokpobiri, Dr. Samuel Ogbuku and David Lyon to nominate the Chairmen of Ekeremor, Ogbia and Southern-Ijaw as compensation.
Furthermore, the governor whose intentions failed woefully to use his relative, Mr Gesiye Isowo as at then Bayelsa PDP Secretary, as Bayelsa APC Caretaker Chairman before any official defection to the APC, has perfected preparations to use him as Chairman of APC in Bayelsa State.
Senator Douye Diri has perfected preparations to produce the Bayelsa APC Chairman, Secretary, including other relevant positions to take total control of the party structure in the state, as deliberate steps towards producing a governorship candidate in the next gubernatorial election.
Unknown to Lokpobiri, Ogbuku who are rumoured to have governorship ambitions in 2027, Governor Douye Diri will never support any of them as successor, rather he is nurturing a relative from Nembe extraction whose father is from Sampou to succeed him as Bayelsa Governor.
In the same vein, the APC chieftain has condemned the decision of the Bayelsa Governor, Senator Douye Diri over nomination of his maternal relative from Ayamasa town, Pastor Peter Pereotubo Akpe as Deputy Governor with motives to revolve the government as a family enterprise.
The chieftain who that stands for justice, fairness, and transparency in governance, has expressed intense dissatisfaction over Governor Douye Diri’s nomination of his relative as deputy governor against Bayelsans.
The sudden passing of the Bayelsa Deputy Governor, Senator Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo whose cause of sudden death still uncertain, created room for timely replacement of the office of the deputy governor according to Section 191 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
He said the governor has privatized governance of Bayelsa as a family enterprise with Akpe nomination as deputy when expected to choose from other competent Bayelsans.
Senator Diri has virtually privatized governance of Bayelsa by appointing only relatives in sensitive positions: Chief of Staff now Deputy Governor, Deputy Chief of Staff, Director of Domestic, Director of Transport, and other government house appointees.
The aggrieved party stakeholder said successive administrations since 1999 has credibly and transparently distributed political appointments across the three senatorial district, but the reverse has been the record in Senator Douye Diri administration.
The governor take decisions without putting into consideration of those who consciously built his political reputation. He defected to the APC without considering the feelings of leaders working closely with him.
Bayelsans has witnessed that the governor has no conscience and empathy, enveloped with greed and ingratitude against those who helped in building his political career and reputation; such as former President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, Dr. Timi Alaibe, Senator Seriake Dickson.
Senator Diri political trajectory has been driven by pettiness, rumours, propaganda, capitalizing on illiteracy, poverty and stomach infrastructure syndrome of some Bayelsans, while privatizing and managing resources of the state as a family enterprise.
In self-delusional, deceptive pretense of building peace, unity, he brought in opposition members to replace those who fought (some lost their lives) for his emergence, instead of acknowledging, and compensating them for their support and sacrifices.
Douye was very selfish to abandon Jonathan, Alaibe in PDP, especially Dickson who believed and trusted him as successor. Yet, he embraced the people who fought against those who worked for him in the election.
The way and manner the governor had shown ingratitude to Jonathan, Dickson, Alaibe, and others, same thing he will do to Lokpobiri, Ogbuku, Lyon, and other leaders in the APC.
Douye doesn’t understand that those who are praising him, are doing so for political patronage (monetary terms), and desert him after office.
Signed:
Barr. David Perebo
APC Chieftain Writes From Yenagoa
Bayelsa: APC Chieftain Condemns Marginalized Congresses, Alleges Diri’s Plan To Use Isowo As State Party Chairman
News
National Progressive Hub (NPH) Urges Support for President Tinubu’s Second Tenure
National Progressive Hub (NPH) Urges Support for President Tinubu’s Second Tenure
By Comrade Philip Ikodor
The National Progressive Hub (NPH), a leading support group for the All Progressives Congress (APC), has called on all Nigerians to rally behind President Ahmed Bola Tinubu GCFR for a successful second term in office come 2027.

In a statement, National Coordinator/Convener, Honorable Bukie Okangbe, praised the APC administration for its efforts towards nation-building and economic stability. Okangbe highlighted the NPH’s previous support for President Tinubu, including a National Security and Endorsement event in 2022 that contributed to the party’s successful general election outcome.
The NPH is gearing up for a Grand Endorsement event for President Tinubu’s second term, scheduled to hold on February 26th at the Musa Yaradua Center, CBD, Abuja. The event will also feature the inauguration of 36 state coordinators, including the FCT, and address critical national issues.
“We invite everyone to join us at this significant event,” Okangbe said. “Your presence will be a testament to our collective commitment to Nigeria’s progress and the APC’s vision for a better future.”
The event promises to be a landmark occasion, showcasing the NPH’s dedication to the APC and President Tinubu’s leadership.
National Progressive Hub (NPH) Urges Support for President Tinubu’s Second Tenure
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