ndu_chucks: How can Fashola or anyone who hopes to rule Nigeria have any problem whatsoever with amending our constitution or even rewriting it? Is it not senseless to call for social engineering which could take generations for its effect to be actualized, instead of amending the constitution or rewriting it?

I am beginning to feel that Fashola may not have what it takes to move Nigeria forward. His talents are probably limited to managing entities such as cities and small states.

Obi is on point here and even the old coot Edwin Clark, is making more sense than Fashola.

Eko Ile: I went over this issue several times and finally reasoned with Fashola.


Fashola's point = Let's change our ways first before clamoring for constitutional changes because even the laws we have right now we don't obey and respect because of our lawless ways so what's the point.

bittyend: I concur with what Fashola and Edward Clark said.

As for Obi, he said a lot without actually saying anything. What has done for his state? He needs to shut up!

Eko Ile: I went over this issue several times and finally reasoned with Fashola.


Fashola's point = Let's change our ways first before clamoring for constitutional changes because even the laws we have right now we don't obey and respect because of our lawless ways so what's the point.

Dudu_Negro: We have a wrong understanding of what a constitution is supposed to accomplish . It is a protocol for social order, in the absence of which the society will be consumed by chaos. We have had about four or five different constitutions between 1960 and now and our chaotic ways have gotten worse with each new constitution amendment.

Traffic lights are a protocol for behavior and rights of access at road intersections. Their operation is accurately timed and synched to correspond with traffic demands. Their precision is not what makes them effective, rather.....their effectiveness is dependent on whether drivers obey what the light asks of them. Accidents and chaos at intersections are not caused by the lights......we dont go around changing road lights because of accidents....but we continue to educate road users on safety when approaching intersections and lights generally.

I agree with Fashola.

demmie1:
the constitution guides the way we live, if we can't change it, we can't change our values.

cashful:

1. A constitution dt removes
immunity
2. A constitution dt allow u
remit your account quarterly or
less
3. A constitution dt kills u if u
embezzle
4. One dt submits your assets
auditing before and after office
5. One dt allow u removed if d
masses say u fail them

@KINGwax
no 3. SERIOUS?

naptu2:

+100 (particularly the traffic light example).

Dudu_Negro:

Thanks!

I had a post few months ago to de-bone the constitution using a common language interpretation but I had to terminate the effort. I sincerely believe that many of us citizens of Nigeria are yet to grasp the objective of the constitution.......we often take to the constitution and demand of it expectations we ought to be channelling through legislature.

Governor Obi's point on justice and fairness is a good cause to fight but I dont believe adding additional state to SE brings the desired justice and fairness. At one time SE had equal or more states than some other parts of the country but yet was still disenfranchised. However, if Obi must get an additional state for SE this demand should not be on the constitution but rather on the Legislature.

Eko Ile:
Too much talk and no action.Until we began to sincerly and honestly act, our nation will continue to remain moribond.

http://sunnewsonline.com/new/national/ekwueme-at-80-fashola-obi-differ-on-constitution-review/

naptu2:

I've noticed that some nigerians believe that a constitution contains all the laws of a country. This would probably explain why people make those demands. It seems they are not aware that most of the laws in Nigeria are acts of the National Assembly, court judgements, delegated legislation, decrees, etc.

However, in this case, Governor Obi is making this demand on the constitution because the constitution specifies the number of states and actually lists them by name.

Dudu_Negro: We have a wrong understanding of what a constitution is supposed to accomplish . It is a protocol for social order, in the absence of which the society will be consumed by chaos. We have had about four or five different constitutions between 1960 and now and our chaotic ways have gotten worse with each new constitution amendment.

Traffic lights are a protocol for behavior and rights of access at road intersections. Their operation is accurately timed and synched to correspond with traffic demands. Their precision is not what makes them effective, rather.....their effectiveness is dependent on whether drivers obey what the light asks of them. Accidents and chaos at intersections are not caused by the lights......we dont go around changing road lights because of accidents....but we continue to educate road users on safety when approaching intersections and lights generally.

I agree with Fashola.

naptu2: They didn't exactly disagree. I think the disagreement part was just a bid by the journalist to hype the story. I agree with both of them.

1) I agree with Fashola. We might have the best constitution in the world, but it would be pointless if we don't change the behaviour of the people.

Constitutions are not perfect documents and there is no perfect constitution, because constitutions are made by humans who are imperfect. No matter what constitution we have, people will still find a loophole in it with which they'll do whatever they want. Should we obey the spirit or the letter of the constitution?

Furthermore, a constitution is a document that does not enforce itself. How will the people charged with interpreting and enforcing the constitution behave?

Mind you, Fashola stated clearly that he is not against constitutional change, but he believes that this should go hand in hand with behavioural change.


2) I also agree with Obi. In order to
secure compliance with the constitution and to foster peace and unity, the people must have confidence in the constitution and believe that it is fair and protects their rights and interests.

Omo_Tier1: Again, Fashola is showing He is light years into the future than His peers The summary of what Fashola has said is this: If you like have the most perfect rules in a home, if a child does not have a mind set to live by those rules in the home, the rules in themselves are useless!

First, We, Nigerians have to recognize in ourselves that obeying the laws of the land is not an option, it is a MUST. The developed Western nations today have constitutions that are no near perfect, but what has made them look civilized (in comparison to us) is simply the fact that the people of these nations have the mind set that the constitution is there to be respected and obeyed.

Peter Obi's reason appear to come across that it is more state creation that would resolve the poverty and negligence befalling the region. Even if you give a zone (like the South East) 20 states, with the greediness, corruption and ineptitude in the land, the people will still end up worse off!

The constitution ay not be perfect, but if the people chose to live by it, over time, amendments can be made to it to correct any anomaly.

Did Qaddafi of Libya need any perfect constitution to give the people the high quality of life that even most western nations wished they could give their citizens?

Dudu_Negro: Thanks natural waves.

naturalwaves:

I initially thought some of those that made previous comments before yours read a cascaded version of the news with the way some interpretations were going. Your intelligent write up provided a new shape and direction to the debate. Bravo!

KINGwax: now my friend, i see you're jes a fashola-asss-kicker! I respect d man though, and also a lagosian but he is fuckin stagnant there!
We need ds law to move it..
1. A constitution dt removes immunity
2. A constitution dt allow u remit your account quarterly or less
3. A constitution dt kills u if u embezzle
4. One dt submits your assets auditing before and after office
5. One dt allow u removed if d masses say u fail them
****
my friend, dt alone, will make u a better person without choice. Biliv me. No one wanted to do it right. We need to be forced.