Former Bayelsa State Governor, Senator Henry Seriake Dickson, has restated his support for a new constitution for Nigeria that will reflect the wishes of the people.
He said the country needs a people's constitution that will be devoid of the current anti-democratic constitution that was foisted on the people by the military.
Dickson, who was speaking on a national TV program, stated that the amended 1999 constitution started as a military decree and, as such, remains unpopular and unfavourable to the people.
He said: "Those canvassing for a new constitution like me are doing so because the existing constitution does not have the true wishes of the people. It emanated from a military decree, and most actors on the political turf did not get to see it before it came into being.
"When we say that the 1999 constitution is a fraudulent document, you can't fault it. This is because a constitution started its preamble with 'we the people' and it wasn't the people that drafted it. It was the military and a few others.
"So, this country needs a new constitution that will emanate from the people. A constitution that will lay the groundwork for unity, because the constitutional foundation is a superstructure that deals with all other issues including the overriding issue of integration and cohesion. "
Dickson however said it is not all the provisions of the 1999 constitution that can be faulted as those who drafted it did a good job in some areas but insisted that it does not represent the collective interest of the people of Nigeria.
"Not only is having a new constitution the right thing to do, not only is it fair, a new constitution is imperative for a stable and inclusive Nigeria.”
Dickson noted that the decision to replace the parliamentary system of government with the US-styled presidential system of government is one of the major reasons why Nigeria cannot move forward as a country.
According to him, a new constitution will among other things address the issue of the most suitable form of government for the country as well as mechanisms to curtail the abuse of executive powers and other imbalances currently being experienced.
He maintained that it is because of the challenges created by the constitution that has made it difficult for new local government areas to be created, stressing that Bayelsa as a state ought not to have only eight local councils.
