A former Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Rural Development, Hon Oladipupo Adebutu, has called for urgent constitution review to address agitations for secession, insecurity and other challenges confronting Nigeria.
He also said President Muhammadu Buhari’s government is a “failure” over its inability to tame rising killings and banditry across the country.
Adebutu, who is a leader of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and former governorship aspirant in Ogun State, said this while speaking with newsmen at his residence in Iperu – Remo, on the sidelines of the 3rd Annual Ramadan Lecture and Iftar organised by Lado Muslim Affairs’ Forum.
The former House of Representatives member noted that agitations by various groups, killings and kidnapping have shown that the President Muhammadu Buhari-led government had failed woefully.
Adebutu further noted that the constitutional review must be taken seriously and it should go beyond deliberations at the National Assembly.
He said: “Over time, we have always advocated for a need for that [constitution review] and there have always been excuses that this can be done by the National Assembly.
“Yes, there can be some discussions at the National Assembly but I truly believe it goes beyond the National Assembly.
“This is a fundamental stakeholders issue. It is a very germane issue that goes to the root of the society, it goes beyond National Assembly. I also believe it should be all-encompassing, far and beyond just elected members of the National Assembly.
“You can see the agitations…unfortunately when you have a government that is not too caring when you have a government that has failed woefully, it becomes too obvious that that constitution needs review; that is why in more advanced societies, you find there are constitutional amendments.
“We must review the constitution. We must rejig it. It is terrible as it is.”
‘Don’t blame Buhari’
Delivering his lecture, the Chief Imam of Olabisi Onabanjo University Muslim Community, Dr Abdulhakeem Akanni also called for constitution review, saying Nigeria’s ethnic groups can renegotiate their co-existence.
He also opined that the myriad of challenges confronting Nigeria “is a mere spiritual war,” and asked people to stop blaming Buhari for Nigeria’s woes.
He said: “We are all culpable in the rot. Politicians, the police, teachers, clerics are also not spared out of the rot. We are all ungrateful to God.
“What we are battling in Nigeria is a spiritual war. Stop blaming Buhari for Nigeria’s woes. You say you want to impeach him? Will you go and bring an angel to govern Nigeria?
“Unless we change our ways, this is how we will continue.”
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