Former Commonwealth Secretary General, Anyaoku, Others Visit Tinubu, Call for New Constitution, Dialogue With Protesters

By: Olufemi Orunsola 

In line with an African proverb that says when elders are present in the market square, the head of a baby, strapped to the back of a woman should not be found hanging out carelessly, some prominent Nigerians, under the aegis of The Patriots have visited President Bola Tinubu at the State House, Abuja on Friday, calling for a new  democrstic constitution for Nigeria.

The Patriots also advised the President and State Governors to dialogue with the leaders of the ongoing protests in the country, warning Nigerian security operatives to avoid using lethal weapons on the protesters.

Briefing State House correspondents after the meeting, the leader of The Patriots,a former Secretary General of the Commonwealth, Chief Emeka Anyaoku, disclosed that another demand his group made was the call for the President to send an Executive Bill to the National Assembly and to convene a National Constituent Assembly that will draft a new constitution for the country in replacement of the 1999 constitution as amended, currently in operation in the country.

He said that the Constituent Assembly would consist of individuals elected by the people on non party basis from each of the 36 states of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Abuja.

He also noted that the new constitution should make provision for a referendum for Nigerians to exercise their fundamental self determination rights as a people.