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From Stanley Uzoaru, Owerri
Renowned legal luminary and Second Republic legislature, Chief Mike Ahamba (SAN) has stated that the nation’s 1999 constitution (as amended) has no provision that authorises the National Assembly to amend the constitution.
Ahamba, who gave the clarification while briefing newsmen in his office in Owerri, explained that while Section 9 subsection 1 of the constitution talks of alteration, the National Assembly could help the nation to obtain a new constitution but lacks the authority to amend the existing one.
He said: “My position has always been that there is no provision authorising the National Assembly to amend the current constitution. While I believe that they (NASS) can help us get a new constitution, they have no authority to amend the present one though they can set up a constituent assembly and if the president assents to it, then they have a power to enact a law that can enable the Assembly to amend the constitution.
“I came into politics in 1978 and since then nobody has contradicted what I said. NASS should keep to their limits and rights.”
