Reps to expunge indigeneship clause from Constitution by TORDUE SALEM on Jan 27, (THE GUARDIAN NEWS) The House of Representatives will push for the deletion of clauses that promote indigeneship from the 1999 Constitution as part of efforts to enhance unity and foster peaceful co-existence in the country on resumption this week. A bill to amend the 1999 Constitution to remove the words indigene and settler in the document will soon be introduced to the House by a member, Hon. Emmanuel Jime (APC-Benue). The lawmaker gave the hint yesterday while addressing the Tiv, Fulani and other communities of Benue and Nasarawa states. Jime told the communities that sections 25, 26 and 27 of the 1999 Constitution that define indigeneship had continued to create division and communal violence in Benue and Nasarawa states and other parts of the country. He said: “The level of insecurity in the country has arisen from the question of who is a settler and who is an indigene. Sections 25, 26 and 27 of the 1999 Constitution define who is an indigene and who is a citizen, but this has rather caused more division and disunity. “There is no such thing as an indigene in the United States’ Constitution which we have copied, and that has put the issue of conflicts arising from who is a settler or an indigene away from the United States system. We must address this issue of divisions based on who is an indigene and who is a settler. “When we (the National Assembly) resume on Tuesday, I will introduce a bill to remove indigeneship from the 1999 Constitution and replace with citizenship and let me see how anybody can tell me that I cannot live in Lafia or any other place as a citizen of Nigeria.” The lawmaker said he would also push for the ban of indigeneship records for purposes of employment, registration of states of origin and others. He said: “We will, through a proposal I will introduce to the House, also remove from our statute books, the requirement for certificates of indigeneship with a view to making Nigeria open for all ethnic groups.” Jime, who is a governorship aspirant on the platform of the All Progressives Congress, APC, in Benue State, said he would sign a peace pact with Nassarawa Sate Government on assumption of office and also work hard to address causes of communal conflicts between Benue and Nassarawa states. The lawmaker said: “In 2015, we will preach a different message. We will sit at the table and make concessions that should be made to achieve peace with our neighbours. God willing, we will have a peace pact because we believe that peace brings good results.” He urged Nigerians to think of the countery first before their respective localities.
Posted on: Mon, 27 Jan 2014 13:13:59 +0000
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