‘Will the Heavens Fall?’: Kanu’s Lawyer Ejimakor Pushes for Referendum Law

 

_By Secular Advocacy TV News Desk |

Special Counsel to Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, Aloy Ejimakor, has called on the National Assembly to enact a law empowering the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to include referendums on the ballot. Ejimakor argued that voters should have a direct say on Nigeria’s nationhood.

In an update on his official X handle, Ejimakor asked: “Will the heavens fall if NASS quickly passes a law, empowering INEC to add REFERENDUM on the ballot?” He added that “a case can be made that voters have a right to decide whether or not the nation should remain the way it is,” citing the creation of the Midwest Region in the 1960s as precedent.

The Midwest Region was established in 1963 following a plebiscite held in the former Western Region, allowing residents to vote on whether or not to form a separate region — the only referendum in Nigeria’s history to date.

Ejimakor’s remarks follows renewed debates over restructuring, constitutional reform, and calls for self-determination by various groups across Nigeria.

The National Assembly has faced repeated pressure to amend the 1999 Constitution to allow for more direct democratic mechanisms, but no federal referendum law currently exists.

INEC’s mandate is limited to conducting elections and referendums only where expressly provided by law. Section 8 of the 1999 Constitution outlines the procedure for creating new states and boundaries but does not provide for a nationwide referendum.

There has been no official response from the National Assembly or INEC to Ejimakor’s proposal as of press times.