Kano, Nigeria - The Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs in Nigeria has demanded a brand new constitution that would bequeath to the nation true federalism.
The Council's position came on the heel of proposed amendments exercise by the National Assembly on the 1999 constitution.
Secretary-General of the Council, Alhaji Lateef Adegbite, who spoke in Kano during the first Islamic Summit organised by a Zaria-based Muslim Research and Planning explained that it was long over due to jettison the 1999 constitution.
Adegbite said Nigeria required a constitution that is ethically based in view of its multi-religious status, stressing that such constitutional freedom would guarantee each faith a suitable style in line with their religious practices.
"We must have a system that is ethically based, and our problems in Nigeria is that we allowed a constitution that is evil based while the Muslims had allowed themselves to be westernised against the superior civilisation the religious book bequeath to them," he said.
Adegbite lamented that by accident of the existing order, Nigerian Muslims had been westernised to the detriment of superior civilisation bequeath to them by Quran, adding that immediate action should be employed to reverse the status quo.
"It's long over due for us to have an all encompassing constitution that will bequeath to the nation true federalism and guarantee constitutional freedom to Muslims," he said.
The Secretary-General explained that Nigerian Muslims should be given the right to operate a constitution that suits their religion in such states where they controlled absolute majority in the spirit of true federalism.
His speech that attracted loud ovation from the audience reinforced the legendary agitation by Nigerian Muslims for a separate constitution in the country as a panacea to true federalism in Nigeria.
The three-day summit under the chairmanship of former Military President, Ibrahim Babangida, will appraise the religion in the context of the merging challenges in the world.
In a goodwill message, the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa'ad Abubakar called on Muslims to unite in the interest of the religion and peaceful coexistence with others.