Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar III, the Sultan of Sokoto, has asked Nigerians to stop blaming the military for constitutional crisis.
Social commentators, activists, government critics, among many others have at different times identified what they consider as gaps in the constitution, attributing the development to the military.
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In his remarks at the North West Zonal Public Hearing on the Constitution Review organised by the House of Representatives for Stakeholders from Sokoto, Kebbi and Zamfara, the monarch advised Nigerians to “face the reality” and suggest whether to have a new constitution or amend the current one before the 2023 general elections.
“Please, stop flogging the military, forget about what the military did and face the reality on ground.”
“We have the constitution given to us by the military and the military made the constitution; the military also created 36 states, created Abuja and moved the capital from Lagos State to Abuja.
“The military had set up governments in so many states with the appointment of 99 per cent civilians in the government and all of you agreed to it.
“So, stop flogging the military, look at the constitution, if it is good for us or not; that is all. If you think we need to change the constitution, this is the time. If you think we need to just amend it, this is the time; but it is just two years to 2023 elections.
“Can we afford a new constitution or should we make just some amendments so that when the new governments come in, they can bring fresh faces, minds to fashion our new constitution? Those are the questions I want you to think about here,” the Sultan told the hearing.
The monarch retired from the Nigerian Army where he rose to the rank of Brigadier General. (NAN).
