The De Renaissance Patriots Foundation, has faulted the leadership of the National Assembly over exclusive consultation process as regards the ongoing constitutional review.
The group described the Constitution Review hearing as a flawed, particularly with the exclusion in the South West zone.
The group, in a statement, faulted the recent engagement between the National Assembly and selected traditional rulers from the region, saying it excluded critical indigenous stakeholders, especially from Lagos State.
The meeting, which was held on Friday, July 4, 2025, reportedly focused on sensitive issues including the recognition of 37 Local Council Development Areas, LCDAs, in Lagos and the controversial proposal to replace indigeneship with residency in the Nigerian Constitution.
Reacting, the Foundation in a statement by its Media Office, warned that any constitutional amendment resulting from a “selective and flawed” consultation process would deepen national discontent and risk plunging the country into further crisis.
The statement read in part: “The National Assembly must rectify this procedural failure and ensure that no resolution is advanced without comprehensive input from all key stakeholders.
“It is unacceptable that legislation is being pushed to erase indigeneship under the guise of promoting residency while legitimizing LCDAs that do not reflect the will of Lagosians. This is a calculated move to dispossess and dominate indigenous people in their land.
“The 1999 Constitution, a military-era document, already faces legitimacy issues. Any further tampering with its provisions, especially those relating to the identity and rights of indigenous populations, must follow due process and carry the people along.
“The future of Lagos and Nigeria depends on a fair, transparent, and inclusive constitution-making process. We demand that the voices of Lagos indigenes be respected and reflected in the outcome.”
