Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, on Tuesday faulted the 1999 Constitution.
According to the Speaker, the 1999 constitution has failed to address some critical issues affecting the country, thereby, the need for its urgent amendment by the legislature.
Gbajabiamila spoke in Lagos State while declaring open the public hearing on the review of the Nigerian Constitution.
He said citizens need to lead on the amendment of the constitution for the National Assembly to achieve the task.
He said that “Our constitution falls short of standard because it is a product of a hurried national compromise that was entered into two decades ago to ensure that the military returned to the barracks and that we returned to democratic government.”
He also said the assignment is pertinent in the life of the nation, adding that the country is in a critical situation.
The Speaker, however, urged Nigerians to participate fully in the ongoing process so that their inputs would help to have a rebirth of the country, assuring that the 9th National Assembly would fulfill its goals among which is constitutional review.