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1. NAME OF ORANISATION.
(a) The name of the organization shall be the Citizen’s Forum for Constitutional Reform
(CFCR)”.
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2. MISSION STATEMENT.
(b) CFCR is a coalition of Civil Society Organizations and individuals committed to a process led and participatory approach to constitutional reform in Nigeria.
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3. AIMS AND OBJECTIVES.
(a) The Forum has short-term and long-term objectives as follows:
3.1 SHORT TERM OBJECTIVES.
(a) To establish a vibrant network for sharing of resources, exchanging ideas and supporting other initiatives on constitutional reform.
(b) To mobilize popular opinion in the civil society and sensitize grassroots communities on constitutional reform.
(c) To work with government, parliament and political parties in the constitution review process.
(d) To do a thorough analysis of the terms of reference of the presidential Technical Committee on the review of the 1999 constitution as well as the legislative agenda for Constitutional Reform.
(e) To devise viable mobilization strategies for a comprehensive constitutional review process through the sharing of different experiences, development of civic education materials and public enlightenment mechanism.
3.2 LONG TERM OBJECTIVES.
(a) To provide an alternative model constitution drawing strongly on the consensus reached by civil society organizations and society at large.
(b) To campaign for an independent constitution review commission charged with the production of an inclusive constitution for the country.
(c) To work towards a national conference and national referendum on the Nigerian
Constitution.
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4. MEANS OF ACCOMPLISHING OBJECTIVES.
4.1 The work of CFCR will be anchored on the following:
(a) The work of the Forum will be guided by the principles of inclusivity, diversity, participation, transparency, accountability, autonomy, legitimacy and accessibility.
(b) The Forum will utilize diverse mechanism that will emphasise the need for consensus, public enlightenment and the use of simple and local languages that various communities will find easily accessible.
(c) The CFCR will engage at national, zonal, state and local government levels, parliamentarians, political parties, non-governmental organizations and community-based organizations with a view to forming coalitions of organizations for constitutional reforms in all parts of Nigeria.
(d) The Forum will work on any area that is critical to constitutional democracy and make appropriate recommendations.
4.2 ORGANS OF C.F.C.R
(a) GENERAL ASSEMBLY
The General Assembly shall be made up of National Co-ordinating Committee members, Zonal and State Co-ordinators. The general assembly shall formulate policies for the Forum.
(b) NATIONAL CO-ORDINATING COMMITTEE.
There shall be a National Co-ordinating Committee for the CFCR which shall compose of a Convenor, Deputy Convenor and at least seven other persons elected to reflect the geopolitical balance, gender and national spread.
(c) ZONAL CO-ORDINATING COMMITTEE .
There shall be zonal co-ordinating committee made up of a zonal co-ordinator and the state co-ordinators in that geo-political zone.
(d) STATE CO-ORDINATING COMMITTEE .
There shall be a State Co-ordinating committee for every state of the federation and Abuja. The State co-ordinating committee shall be made up of representatives of civil society organisations in that state.
(e) SECRETARIAT.
There shall be a Secretariat of the CFCR responsible for the day to day running of the organisation. The Secretary of CRFR shall be an ex-officio member of the national Co-ordinating Committee.
4.3 FUNCTIONS OF ORGANS
(a) The General Assembly shall formulate policies and provide general direction for the Forum.
(b) The National Co-ordinating committee shall implement the policies of the Forum, supervise and co-ordinate the activities of the Forum.
(c) The Zonal Co-ordinating committee shall be responsible for the activities of the Forum in their zones.
(d) The State Co-ordinating committee shall be responsible for the activities of the Forum in their states and local governments. They shall ensure that the activities of the CFCR are effectively carried out at the grassroots level.
4.4 ELECTIONS
(a) The members of the National Co-ordinating Committee shall be elected by the General Assembly. At least 30 percent of the National Co-ordinating Committee shall be women
(b) The Zonal Co-ordinators shall be elected at a meeting of the zonal co-ordinating committee.
(c) State Co-ordinators shall be elected at a meeting of the state Co-ordinating Committee by the representatives of civil society organizations in the State who are members of the CFCR.
4.5 TENURE OF THE COMMITTEES OF THE CFCR.
(a) The tenure of the officers of the organs of CFCR shall be for a period of two years. Members shall also be eligible to stand election for further term(s)
(b) At the expiration of the tenure of the committees a general assembly shall be called for the purposes of electing new officers of the CFCR
4.6 MEETINGS
(a) The General Assembly shall meet at least once every year. The Zonal Co-ordinating committee shall meet at least twice every year. The State co-ordinating committee shall meet at least quarterly.
(b) The organs of the Forum shall call meetings as the need arises.
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5. ACCOUNTABILITY
(a) The CFCR shall be accountable to Nigerians through the National Co-ordinating Committee, Zonal and State Co-ordinators.
(b) The activities of the various bodies shall be co-ordinated by the Secretariat of the
CFCR.
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6. DECISION MAKING AUTHORITY.
(a) Decisions affecting the day-to-day operations of the CFCR shall be made by the secretariat.
(b) The Convenor or in his absence the Deputy Convenor shall have the authority to make executive decisions after due consultations with the National Co-ordinating Committee and such decisions shall be executed by the Secretariat.
(c) The zonal co-ordinators shall have the authority after consultation with the relevant organs to make executive decisions in respect of their zones. Such decisions shall however be ratified by the National Co-ordinating Committee.
(d) The National Co-ordinating Committee shall have the right to override the decisions of the Secretariat but only on grounds of unreasonableness or inconsistency with established policies of the CFCR.
(e) Any decision of a zonal or a state co-ordinating Committee that is inconsistent with the mandate of CFCR of decision of the National Co-ordinating Committee shall be null and void to the extent of the inconsistency. The decision of the National Co-0rdinating Committee shall be subject to the overriding power of the General assembly.
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7. FUNDRAISING AND EXPENDITURE OF FUNDS.
(a) The CFCR as a coalition of civil society organization is funded from private sources.
(b) The CFCR shall be fully and exclusively responsible for raising of funds and for the allocation and expenditure of the funds so raised.
(c) Funds raised by the CFCR for its operations shall be kept in a CFCR account administered by the secretariat. Such funds shall be managed in the terms of the financial accounting procedures as stipulated by the General Assembly.
(d) Strict financial control shall be maintained in accordance with established accounting procedure. The CFCR financial year shall commence on April 1 and ends March 3l of the following year.
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8. APPOINTMENT OF STAFF.
(a) Appointment of Staff shall be managed by a properly constituted CFCR selection committee. All appointment shall be made on the basis of a previously established objective criteria and an interview with the designated CFCR Selection Committee.
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9. DISCIPLINARY PROCEEDINGS & DISMISSAL OF STAFF.
(a) Disciplinary proceedings including termination shall in case of a CFCR staff be instituted by a proper authority and shall be conducted in a accordance with established disciplinary procedure of the CFCR. A record of the disciplinary proceedings shall be provided to the National Co-ordinating Committee. The National Co-ordinating Committee shall review any disciplinary action relating to suspension or termination and shall reserve the right to make a final decision.
(b) Any dispute between a CFCR staff member or members shall first be subject to a resolution by the parties, where the dispute cannot be resolved, it shall be subject for a mediation. The mediation shall be conducted by a committee appointed by the National Steering Committee.
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10. DISSOLUTION OF THE CFCR.
(a) The CFCR shall be dissolved by a resolution of the General Assembly if it no longer possess the funds to operate or conditions are such that it is impossible for it to operate.
(b) The CFCR could also be dissolved of it fulfils all the aims and objectives contained in this constitution.
(c) If, upon dissolution, there remaining any asset after the settlement of all CFCR debts, such assets shall be paid or given to an organization in Nigerian having similar objectives which may be selected by a majority of the members of the General Assembly present at the meeting of dissolution in consultation with the secretariat of the CFCR.
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11. INTERPRETATION OF THE CONSTITUTION.
(a) If any ambiguity should arise as to the meaning or interpretation of the constitution, the National Co-ordinating Committee and the Zonal Co-ordinators by majority vote shall act as arbiter to decide the meaning or interpretation of the clauses(s) concerned.
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12. AMENDMENT.
(a) Amendment of the Constitution may be made upon notification by the Secretariat of the proposed amendment and a majority vote by the General Assembly. The National Steering Committee or Zonal Co-ordinators may also initiate an amendment by submitting a written proposal to the secretariat.
(b) The proposed changes shall be circulated for comments at least seven days prior to consideration.
(c) If the changes are adopted it shall be communicated to all members of the National Steering Committee, Zonal and State co-ordinators by the Secretariat of the
CFCR.
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13. SAVINGS
(a) A State Co-ordinator who immediately before the date when this constitution is adopted holds office, shall be deemed to have been duly elected as a State Co-ordinator by virtue of this constitution.
(b) Any act or contract which immediately before the date when this constitution is adopted has been done and/or entered on behalf of CFCR by the Steering Committee acting before this constitution came into force shall be deemed to have been acted or entered by the elected National Co-ordinating Committee in accordance with the provisions of this constitution.
