The ongoing amendment of the 1999 Constitution by the National Assembly has been described as a ‘self serving arrangement by the ruling class to actualize their selfish interests”, human rights lawyer, Mr. Femi Falana (SAN) has said.
The outspoken rights activist made this known while speaking with journalists in Ilawe Ekiti, Ekiti State yesterday shortly after a programme organised by the State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB).
“The National Assembly members are simply amending the constitution to reflect their own class interest. It is not about Nigerians’ interest,” he said.
Falana added, “What is going on is a self serving arrangement by the National Assembly people. Had it been they had the interest of Nigerians at heart, they would not have voted against what you collated from the field.”
Falana, who reiterated his call for the convocation of a sovereign national conference (SNC), decried the country’s inability to have a workable constitution and described the present document (constitution) as a decree authored by former Head of State, General Abdulsalami Abubakar.
“My view is that the ongoing constitution amendment is not a popular programme; it is selfish, self serving arrangement by the ruling class for their own selfish interest and whether you like it or not we are still going to write the constitution of Nigeria,” Falana added.
Indicting the Presidency for its role in the Rivers State political crisis and a statement credited to President Goodluck Jonathan’s Special Adviser on Political Matters, Dr. Ahmed Gulak that the National Assembly was too hasty in taking over the legislative functions of the state House of Assembly, Falana said, “Nobody should take the Presidency seriously since the crisis was instigated by it, going by the public statement made by Mrs Patience Jonathan”.
