The problem of Nigeria does not concern the constitution of 1999 – IBM Haruna …

A former president of the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (Nipss), retired Maj.-Gen. IBM Haruna, said that the problem of Nigeria does not only concern the establishment of 1999.

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Haruna, who was also a member of the Constitutional Conference between 1988 and 1989, declared him in an interview with the Nigerian news agency (Nan) Sunday in Abuja.

He said that the problems that confront each other were not necessarily created by the Constitution “emanated or decreed in 1999”.

The retired military officer, who was a member of the 1994 National Constitutional Conference Commission, said that, although the Constitution was not perfect, however, it made provisions to face the current challenges.

Among the provisions, he said, there was the principle of separation of powers between the three government bodies.

“The problems they basically face us and constitutionally are only evolving,” he said.

Haruna cited the current Nigerian population which has put over 200, with about 400 ethnic groups, including the dominant ones and minorities.

According to him, “they are all looking for their legitimate place and constitutionally established roles within the Federal Republic.

“But through processes and growth, as well as the progressive development of social, political and economic processes, we will make changes; therefore, the Constitution is not static.

“However, some fundamental have been foreseen in the structure, in the independence of the judiciary, in the separation of powers and things like that.

“Everyone must play their role conceived and foreseen within the Constitution and the laws of the Federation,” he said.

Haruna, however, said that, regardless of the numerous challenges, the Nigerians should give priority to what they want and how to do it.

“We decided federalism; this is imperfect. We decided the electoral organs and the laws that govern them. Even the performance and implementation of the electoral law are not perfect.

“We have equally decided a certain instrumentality of modern mechanisms or equipment to be used during the elections. It is all to provide or make sure that the elections are free, right and reliable.

“But we know, from where we started, that the polls were torn and we also experienced the A4 option, with people who made the line behind their candidates,” he said.

Haruna said that there was no guarantee that these systems would not have been criticized, in particular in an atmosphere in which corruption and cheating prevailed.

The retired general said that although there is no commitment to perfect the procedures and processes, it could be guaranteed that the state of law and regulations would have been followed.

He expressed concern about the challenges faced by some institutions in the country, including the Independent National Electoral Commission (INC), the judicial and political parties.

He disturbed the fact that the situation could have been better if those institutions could be properly put in shape.

“Of course we see how the elections are performed in other places and countries and the time during which the results are announced.

“Take India, for example, with over a billion population; are able to conduct elections and announce the results within the specified time,” he said.

According to him, the perfection of forces and institutions begins with people, including those who should review the Constitution.

“People are party; people make elections; people make transactions that are equivalent to corruption or contamination of electoral results.

“So, ourselves, as people, we have to start changing our perceptions,” he said.

Haruna invited the Nigerians to eliminate ethnic and personality prejudices, snatching the ballot box during the elections and the dysfurreno in certain areas.

“Basically, we, the people who will implement the Constitution, we must also sanitize ourselves,” he said. (Nan)

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