Restructuring of Nigeria inevitable, Says Yoruba Socio-political Group Leader Adebanjo

Leader of the Pan Yoruba socio-political organisation (Afenifere), Chief Ayo Adebanjo , Wednesday, said restructuring of the country is inevitable, saying Nigeria needs a new constitution for equity, peace and justice to reign.

This is just as he said the present constitution is faulty and compromised by the military and not sustainable.

Chief Adebanjo who spoke in Ibadan on Wednesday during a national seminar organised by The Yoruba Leadership and Peace Initiative (TYLPI), with the theme, “Strategies and statics for the actualisation of a restructured Nigeria”, said Nigeria is going nowhere unless a new constitution is put in place.

According to him, the problem of the country is the current constitution been because it is not working for the progress of Nigeria.

He said, “Everything was working until military came in 1966, the colonial masters stage managed the population for the Northern part, and the minority are now claiming to be in majority, this has caused a lot of problem.The constitution is the most fraudulent constitution.

“What is the yardstick for creation of local government in this constitution, the issue of allocation is there unresolved, why would the population of Kano be more than that Lagos if not for fraud in our population, many people are beneficiaries of the corrupt system that is why they can’t talk.

“Restructuring is the only way to keep the sovereignty together, I don’t support secession and I don’t oppose it either. President Muhammadu Buhari is a pretender and number one enemy of the country. I have invested in Nigeria more than Buhari, we signed a document with him on restructuring before his emergence in 2015 and yet he never fulfilled it.”

One of the Speakers at the event, Dr. Akin Fapohunda, said change is necessary at the federal level, stating that all the 36 states of the federation should be collapsed and each region should be allowed to have its own constitution.

“Let’s collapse the 36 state structures because we can’t survived it, the name ‘executive’ has to be changed so as to reduce the power of the executive”, he said.

Another speaker, Prof. Godini Darah, while contributing virtually, said the mood of the discussion was in line with the emancipation for Nigeria, adding that restructuring remains the agenda of Nigerians at this moment because there cannot be Nigeria without it.

“Let’s come together and restored the sole aim of federal system of government because it is been compromised as against the idea of the nationalists before independence in 1960. The present constitution has to go and a brand new constitution has to come alive to accommodate the yearnings of Nigerians.”

A former member of the House of Representatives, Dr. Usman Bugaje, in his own contributions, said Nigerians need to focus on how to manage diversity, urging them to come together and work in unity, saying “this current Nigeria is not sustainable, only restructuring can make it stands, we need to change the leadership mechanism, or else, we are not going anywhere.”

The President of TYLPI, Mr. Olusegun Ahmadu, in his welcome remarks, said the seminar was not to throw blame to any group but how to move ahead and restructure Nigeria, stating that the priority of the country at present should be restructuring and not 2023 elections.

Dignitaries at the event include former deputy governor of Ogun State, Senator Gbenga Kaka; Ambassador Yemi Farounbi; Ms. Yemi Adamolekun and Baale of Ekotedo, Ibadan, Elder (Dr.) Taye Ayorinde, among many others.

Kemi Olaitan in Ibadan

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