Christian Body Rejects Constitution Amendment, Seeks New One For Restructuring

The Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria has rejected the review of the country’s constitution currently being undertaken by the National Assembly.

The Christian body said instead of ammending the constitution, a brand new legal document should be enacted for Nigeria because ammending the existing one would not bring about restructuring of the nation which millions of Nigeria were yearning for.

The National President of the PFN, Bishop Wale Oke, said this on Saturday in a statement titled “Nigeria’s Constitutional Review: PFN’s Stand.”

The statement was jointly signed by PFN National Secretary, Dr Cosmas Ilechukwu and National Legal Adviser, Funmi Quadri (SAN).

The body stressed that Nigeria needed a constitution which would be in sync with the reality on ground and capable of enhancing the growth of the country in every area.

The statement read, “The Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN) is aware of the on-going constitutional review process being undertaken by the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the public hearing sessions scheduled by the Senate for May 26th and 27th, 2021 across the Six (6) geo-political zones of the country” it noted.

“As a result, the Fellowship maintained that the current constitution which serves as the conveyor belt for the administration of the country, is anti-people and faulty.

“We declare that the present constitution is not a people’s constitution and does not, in anyway, reflect the aspirations and yearnings of the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria and the people of Nigeria.

“The Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria is firmly of the view that the review process by amending a segment of the constitution, might just be an exercise in futility that cannot meet the expectation of the people” the body further maintained.”

To this end, the PFN said it would join forces with other groups in the country in repudiating the 1999 Constitution, calling instead, for the enactment of a new one that would be acceptable and more pliable to the yearnings of Nigerians.

“We stand with the different groups and people across the length and breadth of Nigeria in rejecting the 1999 Constitution, and maintain that it cannot deliver a framework for good governance.

“We do not see the on-going process of “proposed alteration to the provision of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999” achieving the objectives of restructuring Nigeria, as desired and canvassed by millions of Nigerians and the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria.

” The Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria demands a new constitution as per other matters coming under paragraph 17 of the public notice that will guarantee a truly Federalist structure for the good and prosperity of all Nigerians”