The Senate Monday took a swipe at the Northern Elders Forum (NEF) over its remarks that the ongoing constitution review exercise will fail.
The Northern Elders’ Forum had over the weekend at a press conference, expressed reservations on another round of constitution review exercise being carried out by the 9th National Assembly.
Speaking through Dr Hakeem Baba – Ahmed , NEF said rather than embark on wholesale review exercises as done in the past by the previous Assembly with little or no success, the 9th Assembly ought to have limited itself to critical areas of security, unemployment etc.
According to NEF, for the 9th Assembly to go the way of the previous ones on the very important assignment, failure will be the end result.
But the Senate in its reaction to the remark through its spokesperson, Ajibola Basiru (APC Osun Central), said the exercise will not fail.
Senator Basiru, who reacted through a telephone interview with the Blueprint, said the fact that such an exercise had failed in the past does not mean that it cannot succeed this time around.
He said: “Even though they are entitled to their views, the question to ask is; does it mean that if former legislatures cum executive (administrations) have possibly or allegedly failed in this regard, then it can never be achieved?”
“Their statement even implied an agreement by them that there is a need for fundamental restructuring exercise, which is the purpose of the present endeavour of the 9th National Assembly.
“Their views can be encapsulated in a memorandum to the Constitution Review Committee.
