News
Nigerians Need A Better Constitution That Will Address Anomalies In The System–Chief Umenzekwe
You said some Nigerians are calling for new a constitution, while others are calling for a review of the existing constitution. All of them are patriotic Nigerians calling for a better working document for Nigeria.
Chief Modestus Umenzekwe in his recent interview with New Telegraph, said that Nigerians need a better constitution that will address anomalies the system of the country.
Umenzekwe is an Igbo man based in Lagos State of Nigeria and a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
He calls for a new constitution, addressed the need for Lagos State to be accorded priority in the nation’s budget, and other developments in the Nigerian polity.
Below is the full read of the interview:
You are an advocate of a special status in the federal budget for Lagos State; do you still insist that Lagos should be accorded a special status?
My answer to that question is yes and if you ask me the same question tomorrow I will still say yes as I told you yes many years back.
You see, I am from Anambra State, a very lovely state, but that will not stop me from saying the truth. Lagos State set the pace for economic and infrastructural advancement of this country.
In the 7th Assembly, I made a publication advising the then National Assembly, led by most respected senator, David Mark, to give support to a bill sponsored by our now First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, requesting that Lagos should be given special status in the budget.
In 2018, I repeated my call that the National Assembly should revisit the Lagos State special status bill, but all those things were turned down. I was like a lone voice crying in the wilderness. But bear in mind that most of the members of the National Assembly and big men in this country emanated from Lagos.
When we were in secondary school, if we were going on holiday during the long vacation, we would be asking ourselves where are you going to spend your holidays and you would find out that 80 percent of our school mates then would say they are going to Lagos. Look at the heavy trucks on the streets of Lagos, the vehicular pressure on the roads of Lagos, the waterways. Look at the Third Mainland Bridge; every day there is work going on there because of pressure.
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And you know water in Lagos is salty, it is not friendly water, so it takes the state a chunk of money from the budget to maintain Lagos. I don’t see it as what the state can carry alone. Now, they are talking about the Fourth Mainland Bridge, which is still aimed at also trying to decongest and open up channels for vehicular movements and transportation issues.
They are filling some parts of the ocean, to accommodate Nigerians, not only Lagosians, so I don’t see the reason why that bill did not see the light of the day. About 80 percent of National Assembly members, directly or indirectly are in Lagos, they have property here, they have their families here, so we shouldn’t play politics with the clamour for a special status for Lagos.
Are you advocating that the bill be reintroduced or that the old bill should be dusted up since Senator Oluremi Tinubu is no longer in the Senate?
Either way; they should revisit it because the papers are there. So, the three senators representing Lagos should rise to the occasion as members of the public are ready to support that Lagos be accorded a special status in the constitution to be amended or the new constitution to be drafted.
Some Nigerians are calling for a review of the constitution, while others are calling for an entirely new constitution or even many are advocating that the 2014 National Conference report should be dusted up. Where do you stand in all these?
You said some Nigerians are calling for new a constitution, while others are calling for a review of the existing constitution. All of them are patriotic Nigerians calling for a better working document for Nigeria.
That is the way l look at it. There is no way we can be living without change. There are so many things that are not in the constitution that are supposed to be there, and there are so many things that are lopsided that are supposed to be adjusted.
For instance, the South-East don’t have equal states like other geopolitical zones, and I think it is the constitutional review that will take care of all these things for us to get one or two additional states like others.
So, whether you call it new constitution or constitution review, the most important thing is that there is the need for us to have a better working document to better the lives of Nigerians. It might lead us to devolution of power, which will be a modification of the 1963 Constitution.
If it is done; some of these crises here and there will calm down. You know that late constitutional lawyer, Prof Ben Nwabueze advocated for this despite the fact that he was part of those who drafted what we are using now during the military era.
So, let the debate continue, let the conversation go on, let Nigerians say their mind, let everybody talk. The National Assembly will now harmonise the whole thing and marry it with the 2014 National Conference report.
For me, it is a matter of nomenclature, whether you call it confab or whatever; the most important thing is that we are talking about a better working document for Nigerians. Some of the recommendation of the 2014 National conference must have been obsolete, so the National Assembly has a responsibility.
It is a very serious task; either reviewing the existing constitution or drafting a new one, or reviewing the 2024 national confab report, or marrying the three documents to bring the best. In fact, I encourage them to go into eclectic fashion of points and ideas to give us a better working document.
Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar recently paid a courtesy call to ex-President Muhammadu Buhari and several meanings have been read to the visit. What do you make of the visit; do you think it is about the politics of 2027?
I have not discussed with Atiku or former President Buhari, so I can’t give you any cogent answer. I don’t know what was in Atiku’s mind; whether he went on the invitation of Buhari or on his own volition.
But we must eschew bitterness in politics after all Buhari are Atiku are northerners and they are Nigerians, so nothing stops two Nigerians from meeting.
If there is any other political undertone, I don’t know and I don’t see it as a serious issue. The other day I read in the papers that former President Olusegun Obasanjo visited the First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu. What is bad about it? Having different political inclination should not bring enmity.
That is the way I look at all these things. So, whether Atiku has any political motive for visiting Buhari, I don’t know because I can’t speak for him.
Are you not worried over the visit given the speculation that some Northern political leaders are plotting to stop President Bola Tinubu in 2027?
Before 2015, I granted an interview and said that APC will spring surprises, and it did. We also did it again in 2023. In 2027, we will still spring surprises. And I have said it time without number that APC will rule for 16 years as PDP did.
There is a move by some lawmakers to reach out to the President for a possible release of leader of Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu. What do you take of it?
I am an Igbo man and Nnamdi Kanu is our son. All these court cases will not help out. Let him be released through a political arrangement and we will take him home, discuss with him and correct him on areas where he misfired.
Where he has gotten it right, we will support him. So, my position is whether some lawmakers are signing for his release or not, let the Federal Government adopt a political approach and release him.
What is your advice to Nigerians given the state of the nation?
My advice to Nigerians is to be prayerful and look on to God and also try to show changes wherever we feel we are getting it wrong, right from our families to the seat of power. Then, let us criticise constructively.
When you come out and talk with a mindset, you are bound to make mistakes. Also, let us at all times protect the image of this country. We don’t have any other country.
I don’t see any sense when some people keep running Nigeria down and they are a Nigerians. So, let us at all times try to protect the image of this country and criticize those in public offices constructively because nobody is Mr. know all.
Biafra
Tinubu Refused To Honour Our Agreement To Release Nnamdi Kanu After Election– Kanu’s Brother
Disclosing that the meeting had the blessing of the president, Emmanuel, however, lamented that Tinubu has refused to honour the pact by releasing his elder brother and the IPOB leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu from the DSS dungeon in Abuja, Nigeria.
Emmanuel Kanu, younger brother of the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, Nnamdi Kanu, has said they had an agreement with President Bola Tinubu for the release of his elder brother, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu.
Emmanuel disclosed that he had the pact with Tinubu’s son, Seyi, in Abuja before the 2023 presidential election.
Disclosing that the meeting had the blessing of the president, Emmanuel, however, lamented that Tinubu has refused to honour the pact by releasing his elder brother and the IPOB leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu from the DSS dungeon in Abuja, Nigeria.
According to him, it was agreed that IPOB would not bycott the polls on the condition that Tinubu would release Kanu if elected President.
Prince Emmanuel expressed disappointment that nearly two years after the emergence of Tinubu as President, his brother (Kanu), has continued to languish in detention despite the fact that the presiding Judge, Justice Binta Nyako, had since recused herself from the matter.
He said it was disappointing that those who claimed to be honourable, failed to keep their words.
The statement read:”Before the last election, I received a message from an ex-governor that Seyi the son of President Tinubu wanted to see me. I agreed to meet with him on the condition that the overriding priority and hence the fulcrum of our discussion will be the release of my brother. The meeting was held in Abuja in the presence of another individual whom I asked along to witness the deliberations and if need be provide independent verification should the need arise.
“Seyi confirmed to me that his father sanctioned the meeting and that I should consider any agreement we reach as binding on the then candidate Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
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“In good faith we agreed that I shall relay the outcome to my brother to reinforce the long held tradition of IPOB not interfering with the conduct of elections, either through boycott or any other form of civil disobedience. This understanding was duly communicated to my brother and he reaffirmed his commitment not to stop the elections or order any boycott.
“When President Tinubu as a candidate visited Owerri during his campaign, he too reiterated his commitment to facilitate the release of my brother if elected. We took his public statement as a tacit reaffirmation of the understanding I reached with his son Seyi.
“At the end, IPOB did not call for election boycott despite having the capacity to do so. IPOB also made sure that discordant voices urging election boycott were overcome because election boycotts would not reflect well on the reputation of a global movement that prides itself on adherence to democratic tenets.
“It therefore, defies logic that nearly two years after President Tinubu assumed the mantle of leadership in Nigeria, my brother is still in detention despite not having any charge against him. It’s been over three months now that Justice Binta Nyako recused herself from the case yet no new judge has been assigned the case.
“This is on top of the fact that Appeal Court had earlier discharged him of the sham charges and ordered his release which the previous regime of Buhari declined to obey.
“Supreme Court determination that his bail ought not to have been revoked has been ignored by the courts and the government. The latest insult is that Abuja courts of all persuasion are no longer willing to determine the case of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu on merit but are rather relying on ludicrous and inapplicable technicalities to stall the timely determination of his cases.
“The truth is that Nigerian courts cannot, will not and do not have both the substantive and procedural jurisdiction to try him. His detention is without the backing of any known law in Nigeria or elsewhere in the world.”
International
US ELECTION: Trump Escapes Three Assassination Attempts, What Next As Date Draws Near?
“We seen them trying to get rid of D. Trump 3 times already. They all know who’s going to win. But now since he is still alive we will see overtly on a systematic level through this election where it will be obvious to everyone what they are willing to do to retain power.”
The desperation of interested parties to retain power and occupy the Oval Office in the White House, United States of America, has led to three failed assassination attempts on the 45th US President, Donald John Trump.
Trump is the Republican Party’s Presidential nominee in the November 5th Presidential election, and adjudged as the 47th US President hopeful in the forthcoming election, if it will be free and fair by all standards and without interferences from the “Obamas” “Hillarys” “Deep State” etc.
The “fight” to retain power in the White House has become dirtiest from 2020 to 2024, a clear statement of extreme desperation leading to blackmail, chaos and possible escalations of assassination attempts.
A post made on X by “Ariel @Prolotario1” stated that “The Beast” will “become extremely desperate” because they know who will win the election if it will be a free and fair election.
The post reads in full:
“I hope everyone is ready for these remaining months up into inauguration. Because we will see “The Beast” become extremely desperate. They didn’t want to rely on attempting to steal the election.
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“We seen them trying to get rid of D. Trump 3 times already. They all know who’s going to win. But now since he is still alive we will see overtly on a systematic level through this election where it will be obvious to everyone what they are willing to do to retain power.
“Will we get a power grid outage?
“Will we get another false flag?
“Will the Project Bluebeam be launched?
“There are multiple things they can pull from. But I do not think we will leave the remainder of 2024 behind without some massive event occurring? Since 1988 we have had something major happen every 12 years.
“1988 (Elusive Mind Wipe)
“1999 (Y2k)
“2012 (Mayan Calendar)
“2024? Will it be obvious this time?
“Either way we have had many clues that everything will happen this year in terms of things coming to a point where it can no longer be ignored. Which is why I think the Deep State will pull something off to jump start this process.
“Donald Trump said many times on his Truthsocial account that the US Military is standing by. One time he mentioned during his Las Vegas rally that they will step in if November 5th is interfered with. We have to prepare for anything.”
Entertainment
Sean Diddy Combs In The Eyes Of The Storm
These are blackpillers who no longer see no value in anything. They have given themselves a shot in the arm and that fluid is coursing through their veins and they themselves will have to go through a major detox that we are no longer equipped to help them with.
By Ariel (@Prolotario1 on X)
𝙃𝙤𝙡𝙡𝙮𝙬𝙤𝙤𝙙: 𝙄𝙩’𝙨 𝘽𝙚𝙚𝙣 𝙍𝙚𝙖𝙡
The Royals
Congress
LeBron James
Usher
Dwyane Wade
MGK
Ashton Kutcher
Naomi Campbell
Bobby Valentino
Busta Rhymes
Mark Wahlberg
Clive Davis
Denzel Washington
Kevin Hart
Jay-Z
Beyonce
Mariah Carey
Etc.
“What did Katt Williams say? It’s up for all of them.
“You all have had your fun. You have had your way. You have had your time in the sun. But now all of this is about to come to a screeching halt. You all are about to see many celebrities suddenly become ill. Retiring prematurely. Moving to another country. No longer being interested in acting. They are going to be dropped from endorsement deals.
“They will be let go by sports teams. You will no longer see them at award shows. You will no longer see them featured on songs or commercials. Clothing brands will ditch them. They will be removed from their charity foundations. You will see a lot of things. Because this is it people. This is what you waited for. We fought for this by sharing all the info we could. And our work is paying off.
“The victims will be vindicated. We will no longer be shunned by society. They will be forced to confront all the things they denied in order to stay in the good graces of people who couldn’t care less about “The Truth”. All the trolls are about to eat crow. Do not pay them any mind at this point. They have nothing to lose. So they will attempt to downplay the significance of this.
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“These are blackpillers who no longer see no value in anything. They have given themselves a shot in the arm and that fluid is coursing through their veins and they themselves will have to go through a major detox that we are no longer equipped to help them with. It’s going to take God himself to come down here and awaken them. This is no our concern.
“The curtain is falling, not with a gentle whisper but with the thunderous crash of an era ending. The lights that once shone on these figures, illuminating their every move, are now flickering out, one by one, in a spectacle of dramatic dimness. This isn’t merely the end of a chapter; it’s the apocalyptic conclusion of a saga where fame was both the sword and the shield, now rusted and discarded.
“As the tide turns, those who once danced in the spotlight will find themselves in shadows, not by choice but by the inexorable force of revelation. Their names, once synonymous with glamour and success, will become whispers of caution, tales told in the dim corners where once their glory was celebrated. The red carpets, once rolled out in their honor, will be retracted, leaving behind only the echo of their steps.
“This shift is not just a change in the public’s affection; it’s a seismic cultural realignment. The idols of yesteryear, who seemed untouchable, are now facing the reality of their own human fragility. The public, once their adoring crowd, now becomes their jury, delivering a verdict that resonates with the weight of truth over the dazzle of stardom.
“In this new dawn, the narratives will rewrite themselves. The stories of courage will not be about overcoming adversity in the spotlight but about facing the aftermath in the cold light of day. Those who once thrived on the applause will learn the silence of solitude, not by choice but by necessity. The world watches, not with voyeuristic glee, but with a sober understanding that even the stars must sometimes fall to earth.
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