Nwabueze faults Jonathan on constitution review c’ttee
By Emmanuel Elebeke
LAGOS — Renowned constitutional lawyer and human rights advocate, Prof. Ben Nwabueze, SAN, has described the Presidential committee on constitutional review as unacceptable.
Nwabueze, who spoke in Lagos at a press conference to announce the second lecture of Goody Jidenma Foundation yesterday, said the committee constituted by President Jonathan couldn’t be a substitute for the sovereign national conference Nigerians have been clamoring for.
He accused the government of not having any intention to give Nigerians a constitution that will give them progress.
He said: “The committee can’t be a substitute to the sovereign national conference. We can’t accept it because it is not what we want. They are just trying to avoid the democratic process, thinking that it will diminish. They are protecting personal privilege. I think they are doing all these because Nigerians have not been ready to bring them to where they should be. They have no intention to give Nigerians a constitution that will give them progress.”
He insisted that the federal government had no intention to give Nigerian people the opportunity to determine the way they should be governed, asking who made the government the custodian of the people’s mandate.
Meanwhile, renowned political scholar, Prof. Ali Mazrui, will deliver a Public lecture on “Democracy and the Politics of Petroleum: African Perspective” at the Nigerian Institute for International Affairs on Thursday, 8th December, 2011.
The lecture will be delivered under the auspices of the Goddy Jidenma Foundation (GJF) a non-profit organization set up in 2007 in the memory of Arc Goddy Nwaolisa Jidenma for his inspirational service to humanity.
GJF promotes excellence and selfless service to humanity. The Foundation is involved in the promotion of public speaking and quest for excellence in schools. It is also involved in fashioning out leadership and mentorship schemes for the youth with the main objective of promoting ethical and selfless service orientation
The Foundation held its inaugural lecture in December 2009, where renowned constitutional expert, and Chairman of the Foundation, Professor Ben Nwabueze, SAN, NNOM, CON delivered a highly successful and ground breaking lecture on “Strengthening the Foundations and Institutions of Democracy in Africa”
According to the organizing committee, the choice of Professor Ali Mazrui to deliver this year’s lecture was influenced by his far reaching and well-researched work on Africa and Africans.
“Professor Ali Mazrui is a global figure who is highly respected for his intellect and high level of articulation. The Foundation believes that he will elevate the level of discourse and bring original perspectives to bear on the topic. Professor Mazrui’s forthcoming lecture comes at an interesting time as Nigerians debate the pros and cons of the removal of the petroleum subsidy and the deregulation of the oil sector among others. His lecture is expected to shed light in the interplay between democracy and the politics of petroleum from both a historical and contemporary perspective,” said the committee.
The Foundation is run by the Board of Trustees whose members are highly respected people in the society who share these ideals and whose paths crossed with Goddy’s during his life time. They include: Prof Ben Nwabueze, SAN, Ambassador MT Mbu, Dr Stella Okoli, Prof Pat Utomi and Otunba Dr Bola Kuforiji-Olubi among others.
