Senate orders withdrawal of Constitution from circulation

By Taiye Odewale
Abuja

The Senate yesterday directed its Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters to liaise with the National Judicial Council, NJC; Office of the Attorney General of the Federation, and the Law Reform Commission to constitute a Law Review Committee to withdraw the copies of different versions of the constitution in circulation in the country.
This is it called for “the printing and distribution of the authentic, consolidated Constitution of the Federation with the different alterations embedded where they belong to make the Constitution one whole document to guide the generality of the Nigerian populace and the international community.”
These were sequel to a motion moved to that effect by Senator Chukwuka Utazi (PDP, Enugu North).

Utazi, in the motion titled “Harmonising the different versions and copies of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria in circulation into one authentic whole,” noted that “since 1999, the Constitution has successfully gone through three alterations, in July 2010; November 2010 and March 2011, respectively, and in each case, amending various provisions to bring them in conformity with contemporary democratic practice and realities.

He said: “These alterations are printed as separate provisions and there has not been an attempt to embed and graft them into the Constitution as one whole living document.
“There are different versions of the original 1999 Constitution and of the three alterations, with various copies in circulation. The Constitution is the heart-beat of the nation and its provisions should not be subjected to the caprices of printers or allowed to have different words and structure.

“There are many other mix-ups and this creates confusion for lawyers, judges, Law students, other practitioner, legislators at the various levels, those who consult our Constitution to determine the state of the law, and the general public.”
Ruling, on the motion, the Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki, mandated the Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters to “urgently liaise with relevant organs of the government in ensuring harmonisation of the different versions and copies of the Constitution in circulation into one authentic whole.”

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