By SUNNY OKIM

The National Consultative Front (NCFront) has announced that the much expected "People's Constitution" will finally emerge in draft form in December this year.

This announcement was made by NCFront after a formal inauguration of its Constitution Drafting Committee and Coordinating Committee in Abuja on Tuesday.

The ceremony, which held both physically and virtually in the light of the second wave of Covid 19 pandemic ravaging the world, was flagged off by NCFront Co Chairpersons, Rt Hon Ghali Umar Na'aba and Prof Pat Utomi, who charged the Committee to work assiduously to make the Draft People's Constitution of Nigeria available by December 2021.

According to the mass political movement, the committees were initiated by Leaders of Conscience under the auspices of the National Consultative Front, NCFront, to save and rescue Nigeria from the precipice and brink of nationwide insecurity and ethnic/civil anarchy was launched today in Nigeria

A communique issued by NCFront signed by its Head, Public Affairs Bureau, Dr Tanko Yunusa and made available to News Express
also stated that the structure of the committee is broken into four categories.

The Co-chairs, Dr Olisa, Agbakoba(SAN), Dr Usman Bugaje, Dr Tokunbo Awolowo-Dosumu, and Rev Fr. (Dr) George Ehusani, with Agbakoba as lead anchor, setting direction for the work and Dr Hakeem Baba Ahmed as Secretary of the Coordinating Committee.

Also, there are members of the committee, Ex officio members, and Advisors to the Committee.

The statement reads:

"Members of the historic coordinating committee of the independent, people's driven National Constitutional Dialogue are, Dr Olisa Agbakoba, SAN, Dr Hakeem Baba Ahmed, Father George Ehusani, Alhaji Buba Galadima, Dr Mrs Tokunbo Awolowo Dosunmu, Hadjia Najatu Mohammed, Chief Mike Ozekhome, SAN, Amb Mrs Nkoyo Toyo, Sen. Chris Anyanwu, Dr Usman Bugaje, Sen. Mike Ajegbo, Femi Falana(SAN), Rev. Chris Nubia, Dr Bilikisu Magoro, Prof Ademola Abbas, Comrade Joe Ajaero, Sidi Ali Nasser, supported by the National Secretariat of the NCFront and Conference Advisors with special Knowledge and experience, Prof. Isawa Elaigwu, Africa’s leading Federalism scholar, Prof Attahiru Jega, Former, INEC Chair, Ambassador (Dr) Martins Ohomoibi, one time Permanent Secretary Ministry of Foreign Affairs as well as an Eminent Elders Council to be consulted as situations require."

NCFront also reaffirmed that "the objectives and terms of reference of this historic national consensus building committee shall be to engage all key stakeholders within the Nigerian project nationwide, facilitate robust national consultations and dialogue among them, Collate Memoranda and build consensus among Nigerian Stakeholders on various Nigerian national questions such as and not limited to; Proper and Acceptable federating units for Nigeria, Devolution of constitutional powers, appropriate governance system and structures for Nigeria, Citizenship, Indigenes - Settlers (Farmers - Herders) matters, Independent State Institutions & Commissions, Justiceable rights of Citizens, Framework for State Constitutions, Policing, Military Operations, Democracy and Guidelines for Political Parties, Tenure of office, Judicial Reforms & Access to Justice in Nigeria, Parliamentary Reforms & Principle of Proportional Representations in Nigeria, Civil Service Reforms, Youth and Women empowerments, Self determination Principles, Referendum/Plebiscite, among others that may be duly proposed by Nigerian Stakeholders in the process of the National consultation

"This intervention has become imperative for us in the NCFront, as Citizens of Conscience, as it's now quite clear that the Nigerian Government and ruling political leadership in Nigeria have lost the legitimacy and capacity to foster national harmony and political stability for the country and it will be formally be open to delegates and the Nigerian Stakeholders on May 1st 2021.

"Furthermore, Co Chairs of Ncfront, Ghali Na'aba and Pat Utomi stated that groups and constituencies expected to send delegates to this historic Citizen's driven National Dialogue, includes, diverse Indigenous Peoples Groups in Nigeria, Civil Society and Professional Groups, Labour Unions, Religious Bodies, Political Parties, Persons Living with Disabilities, Youth and Women Groups, among others, while the Coordinating Committee is expected to consult and seek occasional intervention of selected eminent Elders, among whom are Prof Wole Soyinka, Alhaji Ahmed Joda, Eminent Jurist, Prof Ben Nwabueze, SAN, Prof Ango Abdullahi, Chief Edwin Clark, Commodore Dan Suleiman and Chief Olu Falae, among others on very relevant but knotty issues of the Confab from time to time.

"Co Chairpersons and members of the Coordinating Committee however expressed profound appreciation for finding them fit for the historical national assignment and promised not to let the diverse peoples of Nigeria down in the mission to rescue Nigeria from the brink of civil anarchy, " the statement said.