Background
Work-Study Group three (WSG3) is one of the 3 work-study groups of the #FixPolitics Initiative charged with executing the “Triangular Pillars of Democracy”, as conceptualized by Dr Oby Ezekwesili, the visioner and founder of the #FixPolitics Initiative. The primary mandate of WSG3 is to emerge an effective and ethical regulatory context for political competition. As such, its primary focus is to advocate and compel constitutional, political and electoral reforms that are designed to strengthen the regulatory regimes in Nigeria’s democratic process.
Nigeria and The Quest for A People’s Constitution
The clamour for constitutional reforms dates as far back as 1922, and this quest has not ceased or abated even in contemporary Nigeria. Since 1999 when the military handed over the 1999 Constitution to the new civilian regime of President Olusegun Obasanjo, there have been more than ten attempts to amend the Constitution, with very few successes.
The preamble of the 1999 Constitution is imperfect. It says ‘We the people of Nigeria’ made the constitution. NO! The truth is that the 1999 Constitution was made for Nigeria by 22 military men, not by Nigerians in their majority. Therefore, scholars and different leaders of thought and the Nigerian people have over the years canvassed for various amendments to the provisions of the 1999 Constitution, in order to streamline its provisions and strengthen the democratic framework.
The Senate has begun another process to review the 1999 Constitution, and #FixPolitics has made a strong presentation to that body [ FP Letter to Senate on Constitution] and also held the first of The #FixPolitics Dialogue on the theme – 1999 Constitution: To Change or Amend?, as a further advocacy effort to accentuate the urgency of reforming the 1999 Constitution.
A major concern of #FixPolitics is that the Nigerian Constitution be amended to allow for Referendums to be held. A referendum affords citizens a pathway to express their desire for specific laws to govern them in a true democracy of ‘government of the people, by the people and for the people.’ A Change.Org petition has been launched, seeking to mobilize one million Nigerians to sign and signify their demand for this specific amendment.
Please follow this link to view and sign the petition: Click here
Towards Truly Credible Elections
In addition to mobilizing a mass movement for constitutional reform, WSG3 is equally active in promoting credible elections in Nigeria. Our presentation to the House Committee on Electoral Reforms outlines some aspects of our Electoral Law which must be reviewed in order to have a more credible electoral process that would enable all citizens to play their part and eventually lead the society to a path of sustainability in participatory democracy.
Click here to View FP Letter to the National Assembly on Electoral Reform
Click here to view change.org petition on electronic transmission of results
Diaspora Participation in Nigerian Elections
The Nigerian diaspora community is estimated to be over twenty million economically strong men and women. They hold enormous potential power to influence policy and politics in Nigeria. However, this power is still very much latent, untapped and unused.
WSG3 is working towards mobilizing and organizing the Nigerian diaspora community to effectively harness and channel its latent power towards fixing the broken politics and poor governance in Nigeria.
Please join us on this transformative journey. Support us by recommending Nigerian diaspora organizations that we can work with as partners in the form below.