By Chimezie Godfrey
A Human Rights organization known as Resource Centre for Human Rights and Civic Education (CHRICED) has expressed worries that current constitution review will not be far reaching enough to address marginalization of FCT original inhabitants.
The organization made this known in a statement delivered by Dr. Ibrahim Zikirullahi, the Executive Director of CHRICED during a Press Conference in Abuja on Monday.
The Executive Director said that the review of the 1999 constitution presents opportunities to canvas the core issues aimed at redressing the marginalization of FCT Original Inhabitants, which according to him, the political class has failed in exploring.
According to him, the organization condemns the marginalization, institutional discrimination and injustices meted against the Original Inhabitants of FCT.
He said, “Given the cries across the country for a fresh people-driven constitutional template to reset Nigeria and deliver good governance, there has been worries that the current constitution review will not be far- reaching enough.
“Notwithstanding these apparent limitations and severe contradictions caused by the abysmal failure of the political class, the review of the 1999 Constitution still present veritable opportunities to canvass the core issues aimed at redressing the marginalization, as well as the entrenched violation of the political, civil, economic and cultural rights of FCT Original inhabitants, within the context of the Nigerian federation.
“It is a paradox of the Nigerian condition that Original Inhabitants who own the land, and on whose ancestral lands Nigeria built its Federal Capital City, have been over the years treated unjustly and unfairly in many respects. CHRICED in solidarity with Original inhabitants affirms that the maltreatment, marginalization and institutionalized discrimination being meted against the Original Inhabitants of the FCT stands condemned.
“These injustices are antithetical to spirit and letters of all known human rights instruments to which Nigeria is a signatory. One of such instruments, is the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP), which was adopted by the UN.”
He further cited the provision of the General assembly which allows for indigenous people’s right as a collective or asindividuals, to enjoy Human Right amongst other provisions on the article.
He therefore, restated the organization’s willingness to work in concert with FCT Original Inhabitants to begin campaigns and other forms of civil engagements to put constitutional and governance issues in the forefront of national discourse and called on the National Assembly to be mindful of the agitations across the country.
“General Assembly on Thursday, 13 September 2007. Although Nigeria abstained from voting on the declaration, it passed with a majority 144 votes at the General Assembly.
“The declaration makes it clear in Articles 1-4, among others that: Indigenous peoples have the right to the full enjoyment, as a collective or as individuals, of all human rights and fundamental freedoms as recognized in the Charter of the United Nations, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights’ and international human rights law.
“Indigenous people and individuals are free and equal to all other peoples and individuals and have the right to be free from any kind of discrimination, in the exercise of their rights, in particular that based on their indigenous origin or identity; Indigenous people have the right to self-determination.
“By virtue of that right they freely determine their political status and freely pursue their economic, social and cultural development.
“Indigenous people, in exercising their right to self-determination, have the right to autonomy or self-government in matters relating to their internal and local affairs, as well as ways and means for financing their autonomous functions,” he said.
The Executive Director said CHRICED has taken the pains to enumerate these rights as enshrined in international law because the Original Inhabitants of FCT have been directly denied the enjoyment of those rights.
“Therefore, CHRICED hereby restate its willingness to work in concert with the Original Inhabitants of the FCT to begin campaigns, advocacies and other forms of civil engagements, which would put the core constitutional and governance issues undermining their political, civil, economic and cultural rights on the forefront of the national and international discourse.
“CHRICED is therefore committed to the task of amplifying the voices of Original Inhabitant communities to influence key governance processes, beginning with the Public Hearing organized by the Senate Committee on the Review of the 1999 Constitution on May 26th and 27th, 2021.
“CHRICED, therefore, calls on the National Assembly to be mindful of the agitations across the country; lawmakers should therefore demonstrate real commitment to addressing the root causes of the disaffection across the land.
“This particular constitution review should not perfunctorily or superficially address the demands of Nigerians. Any effort to douse the tension in the land requires utmost seriousness, resilience and resourcefulness,” he stressed.
