Private legal practitioner Martin Kpebu says the government failed to adequately involve the New Patriotic Party (NPP) in the constitutional review process.
According to him, the NPP’s decision to withdraw from processes leading to constitutional amendments underscores the need for broader consultation, particularly given the party’s significant support base.
Speaking on JoyNews’ The Pulse on Thursday, September 17, Mr Kpebu said he agreed with the spirit of the NPP’s proposal for a consultative assembly, although he was still considering whether a new constituent assembly was necessary.
He said the government should have recognised the importance of involving the NPP from the beginning, given the constitutional requirement for broad public support for certain amendments.
“It was always clear from the word. And the biggest, I don’t know how government could have thought that they could go through this process without really making NPP front and center of it,” he said.“I don’t think they were accorded enough respect. Yes, speaking bluntly. Now, government didn’t show them enough respect at all.”
Mr Kpebu argued that the NPP’s support base made its participation particularly important to the success of the process.
“NPP has a large following. I mean, for crying out loud, even their worst performance at the last election, they got what? Almost 42%.”
He noted that some constitutional amendments require approval through a referendum in which at least 40% of eligible voters must vote, with 75% of those voting required to support the proposal.
“So when you are going to go through a referendum that requires 40% of the electorate and 75% should vote in favor, you must make your opposition people front and center of the whole process.”
Mr Kpebu said the government’s approach had therefore contributed to the NPP’s current position.
He also criticised the President’s public comments on proposed constitutional changes, including a possible extension of the presidential term to five years, before sufficient consultation had taken place.
“Even the President himself went around and started announcing that we are going to extend the presidential term to five years, etc. Oh, I knew that was an own goal.”
He said such pronouncements, made without adequately consulting the opposition, did not demonstrate the level of consensus-building required for a constitutional review process.
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