Press Release
ON THE NATIONAL DIALOGUE
By
AZATA/NEPU Party of Nigeria
In the Amended Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Amended J 10th January, 2011, one of the Fundamental Objectives and Directive Principles of State Policy, Chapter 2(23), is national ethics.
A recorded violation of national ethics, is a fundamental breach of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
The recorded defections of Nigerian politicians from one party to another, is unethical. The politician must not unilaterally change his mandate given to him through the electoral laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, without resort to his electorate.
In Chapter V (68) the tenure of elected members is clearly stated.
68(10 a-h) spell out in clear terms, the circumstances under which an elected member can change his electoral status.
68(g) being a person, whose election to the House was sponsored by a political party, he becomes a member of another political party before the expiration of the period for which that House was elected.
Provided that his membership of the latter political party is not as a result of a division in the political party of which he was previously a member or a merger of two or more political parties or factions by one of which he was previously sponsored.
The AZATA/NEPU Party of Nigeria, hereby calls on the Attorney-General of the Federal Republic to give an authoritative declaration on the status of the defected members, especially how it would or would not affect the attendance of members of both Houses, their legislative duties, fundamental obligation of the Government, their oversight functions, the defence of public interest, security, welfare and good governance, fostering the unity and good governance of Nigeria, through legislative acts, which alone enhance democratic order.
How do mass defections strengthen or weaken the supremacy of the “Constitution and its provisions, which shall have living force on all authorities and persons throughout the Federal Republic of Nigeria?”
It can be recalled that during the ASUU strike, the Federal Government had threatened to sack members of ASUU.
We called upon the Attorney-General of the Federation to discourage the move because of the existence in the Universities of laws for displacing staff members.
The AZATA/NEPU Party seeks this clarification on mass defections from one political party to the other, in order to encourage or discourage acts that might affect the good governance of Nigeria.
It is not clear whose interest the political turn-coat is defending, his or the electorates?
Before any politician can justify disembarking from his party and seeking accommodation elsewhere, he must show written evidence that he had assiduously tried to correct his party’s wrong policies with no avail.
Whimsical and capricious abandoning the duties of the Senator, member of the House of Representative is unethical, unorthodox, otiose and reprehensible.
It exposes the political turn-coat as unreliable, maverick and dishonourable.
(2) The AZATA/NEPU Party of Nigeria also seeks clarifications as to why past budget reports are not published before the next budget is announced.
Both the Minister of Finance and the Accountant-General’s Office should address the difficulties involved in informing the nation periodically, how our finances have been disbursed.
(3) The AZATA/NEPU Party of Nigeria hereby strongly suggests that a High Contract Awarding Agency should be set up to relieve the Federal Executive Council of the intricacies and time-consuming processes of awarding contracts.
There should also be one such agency in the states.
The Agency must have as its members, The Inspector-General of Police, the Chairman of ICPC, the Chairman of EFCC, the D- G,SSS, a Minister in the Presidency, a representative of the NLC, the Chairman of ASUU, the President of the Bar Association, a member of the Market Women Association and the President of NANS.
If this happens, our state will enjoy the confidence, now missing in the sensitive issue of contracts that get abandoned, are poorly executed or not executed at all.
(4)All the Deans of Faculties in Nigerian Universities should be regarded as Consultants ex-officio to th President, who must obtain informed information on any proposed government policy, in writing from them on a regular basis.
All Ministers must consult University academics in the relevant fields. If this practice catches on, the quality of advice available to the Minister will serve the nation well. The Minister will be better informed.
This is what obtains in the United States, Britain and elsewhere.
(5)The Freedom of Information Law, must be implemented more vigorously and made available to the people.
(6) The capricious accusations levied against officials, who do not have the means to reply must be discouraged. It creates a poor image of our country abroad.
(7) A completely new Constitution must be put in place, to replace the panel-beaten one put out by the Provisional Ruling Military Council, which has little social relevance and the concepts that promote social justice, social welfare, social equity, economic emancipation and egalitarianism.
The Constitution of Cleisthenes, whose reforms were adopted in 507 B.C later enriched the Constitution of Athens, which became a great city in ancient time, illustrates the point that a nation cannot be ruled successfully by provisionary rules.
They fade with time and in the face of dynamic societal changes.
The AZATA/NEPU Party of Nigeria has noticed some disconcerting and worrisome political developments in Nigeria. The tone of political discourse has become offensive, discourteous, vitriolic, and venomous.
It is those, who have no argument that resort to uncouth methods in political debates. The danger is that when a political leader is insulted, his followers feel the pinch and a sustained culture of bad political behaviouts can inflame passions that could lead tp upheaval.
A political party that rudely conducts its affairs loses votes and elections.
