Political Interests Frustrating Amendment Of The Constitution – Shehu Sani

Former senator representing Kaduna Central at the National Assembly, Shehu Sani, has lamented that political interests have always frustrated moves to amend the constitution.

Sani made this statement in an interview with journalists on Sunday in Lagos state.

The former lawmaker said devolution of power and reform of the electoral system must be of utmost priority in the constitutional amendment process.

According to him, developmental issues were usually not prioritized during the constitutional amendment process because of the interests of political leaders.

Referencing the need for electoral reform, Sani asserted that no president wants to reform an electoral system that will remove him from power.

He urged political officeholders to implement reforms and visions that would outlive them, stressing that power was transient.

He said, “Since 1999, the national assembly has been inaugurating committees to amend the constitution of Nigeria, but the problem has been that the issues that are supposed to be amended are not amended because of interests.

“Each time we have this committee set up, the committee is inaugurated in good time, but the recommendations are hardly implemented.

“Take, for example, electoral reform, no president in Nigeria wants to reform an electoral system that will take him out of power.

“If you think you are in a position of authority today and you have all the power to exercise, think of what happens to you tomorrow.”