Chief Edwin Clark has advocated a return of the 1963 Constitution abrogated by the military government to Nigeria.
The late Major-General Aguiyi Ironsi who took over from civilian administration abrogated the constitution.
According to Clark, the constitution allowed different regions in the country to stand and develop on their own space, unlike the present constitution which make states dependent on the central government.
Speaking during live interview in Arise News on Tuesday, May 25 monitored in Uyo by Straightnews, he saw the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic enacted by military government as unitary in nature with a lot of injustices, and called for its abrogation.
”In 1963, the three regions generated their revenues and remit part to the centre. But today, Federal Government is controlling everything without allowing the regions, indeed the states, to generate revenues on particularly production product and remit same to the centre. That is the reason the country is not growing,’’ the one-time Federal Commissioner for Information bemoaned.
On the Constitutional review proposed by the House of Representatives, Clark doubted the outcome of the exercise.
He said on more than five times, various bodies have debated and amended the constitution, but at the end of the day, nothing came out, pointing out that it would be another exercise in futility.
”Today, I am 94 years. I have lived longer than my father. I am doing an over time in the world. I thank God for it.
”However, my regret is that Nigeria is moving backwards instead of going forward. The country has not attained what I expected her to achieve. Malaysia and Ghana were far beyond Nigeria, but today they are poles apart. Even Ghana has been driving away Nigerians,’’ the Ijaw leader remarked.
