Group asks ECOWAS Court to declare Nigerian 1999 Constitution illegal in Yorubaland

Group asks ECOWAS Court to declare Nigerian 1999 Constitution illegal in Yorubaland

By Abiola Ajulo

The ECOWAS Court has been asked to declare the Nigerian constitution illegal and of no effect in Yoruba territories.

In a statement made available to Irohinodua the Yoruba Global Directorate filed a suit against the Federal Government of Nigeria to challenge the 1999 Constitution.

The suit was filed at the Court of Justice of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).

The statement signed by Adeola Olamijulo on behalf of the Directorate seeks a declaration against the Muhammad Buhari’s government that by virtue of the proclamation of constitutional Force Majeure on the m1999 constitution of Nigeria and the expiration of 120 days given to the defendant which expired on 16 August 2021and the failure of the Federal Government Nigeria to respond to the salient constitutional issues raised in the action, the 1999 Constitution is no longer operable within Yoruba land and indeed in NINAS territories.

The Directorate also sought a declaration that the defendant, its agents, privies and legal representatives including the National Assembly or any other agency purporting to act or represent the defendant cannot exercise any binding power or enable legislation on Yoruba land.

It also sought a declaration that the Yoruba people are entitled to seek for Self-determination as enshrined in the African Charter and the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples without hindrance from the respondent and its agents.

The ECOWAS Court has also been asked to interpret the provisions of the extant UN Declaration on Human and People’s Rights vis a vis the Self-Determination actions so far taken under the NINAS Umbrella effective 16th of December, 2020 to date vis a vis the application of the 1999 Constitution of Nigeria as amended.

A date is yet to be fixed for the hearing of the application.