TheCable

Abdullahi Ganduje, governor of Kano, says Nigeria’s diversity should be seen as an opportunity, not as a challenge.

Ganduje said this on Wednesday while declaring open the zonal public hearing on the review of the 1999 constitution in the state.

The public hearing for the north-west centre held in Kano, and drew participants from Kano, Kaduna, Katsina and Jigawa states.

The public hearings taking place across the six geopolitical zones are expected to end on Thursday.

Speaking at the event, Ganduje said Nigeria is blessed with “inherent trends” which if effectively utilised, can make it great.

“Indeed there is no better time to hold this public hearing than now. Various people, associations and groups are yearning for the review of the constitution due to the enormous problems and challenges bedeviling our great country as a nation,” he said.

“The problem with Nigeria is that we allow diversity to be a challenge instead of seeing that challenge as an opportunity.

“According to some sociologists and psychologists, having a nationality in Nigeria has some inherent trends that, if properly harnessed, will make Nigeria a great country.”

The governor expressed the state’s support for the constitution review, adding that “17 issues” which affect Kano have been outlined and submitted.

On his part, Femi Gbajabiamila, speaker of the house of representatives, said the constitution review will address “contentious issues”.

The speaker, who was represented by Ado Doguwa, majority leader of the house and member from Kano, said the constitution review is coming at a time when the country is “challenged from all sides”.

“After 60 years of independence, the yearning and calls for a review of the different sections of the constitution have remained very imperative and too audible to be ignored,” he said.

“The efforts to review the Nigeria constitution have become an integral feature of the activities of the national assembly since 1999.

“It is obvious that the public hearing for the constitution review is coming at a time in our nation’s history when our country is challenged from all sides, by agitation and the need to address a number of contentious issues as enshrined in our constitution.”

The speaker asked participants to utilise the constitution review process to make contributions that will ensure “protection and advancement of mutual interests regardless of our diversity”.