The National Democratic Coalition (NADECO) has issued a call to President Bola Tinubu, urging him to restore Nigeria’s republican constitution.
In a letter addressed to President Tinubu, the pro-democracy group emphasized the importance of returning to the constitutional framework established in 1963.
Ayo Opadokun, spokesperson for NADECO, signed the letter, emphasizing that the 1963 republican constitution upholds principles of true federalism and guarantees peaceful coexistence among Nigeria’s regions and tiers of government.
NADECO expressed its satisfaction that President Tinubu, one of its prominent leaders and a significant contributor to the democratic struggle in Nigeria, has assumed the elected presidency.
The group reminded him of the central demand of their collective and just struggle, which sought to return Nigeria to a federal constitutional governance that formed the basis of the country’s independence.
The letter further highlighted that Nigeria, as a country, has yet to become a united nation due to the military’s unauthorized suspension, abrogation, and replacement of the negotiated independent constitution with a unitary system.
“The current constitutions of 1979 and 1999, which NADECO deems deceptively orchestrated, continue to perpetuate the negative consequences imposed by successive military governments, resulting in Nigeria’s backwardness, hindered growth, and an unacceptable level of poverty,” NADECO said.
NADECO firmly believes that a return to the independence/republican constitution will reinstate a responsive and responsible government, providing a crucial foundation for the reconstruction of Nigeria.
A republican form of government can be defined as a sovereign state headed by a president elected for a fixed term of office. Unlike a monarchy, succession in the office of the Head of State is non-hereditary but elective. It is a representative democracy in which government is by the consent of the people.
The Prime Minister and the Regional Prime Minister met in May, 1963 in order to discuss and to settle constitutional issues. So, the conference of the heads of government in Nigeria agreed to summon the all-party constitutional conference in Lagos to suggest to it important changes in the constitution. The all-party conference met in July, 1963 and agreed that Nigeria should become a republic and that the president of the republic should have the same powers as the Governor-General had under the Independence Constitution.
