Tinubu’s Second Chance: Adebanjo Urges Rewrite of 1999 Constitution

Nigeria’s President Bola Tinubu faces a critical opportunity to address the country’s long-standing issues, according to Afenifere chieftain and nonagenarian, Pa Ayo Adebanjo.

The elder statesman recently shared his thoughts on Inside Sources with Laolu Akande, aired on Channels Television.

Back in 1999, when Nigeria returned to democracy, Tinubu was among the South-West governors who, according to Adebanjo, “chickened out” from demanding a Sovereign National Conference.

Instead of insisting on a people’s constitution, the governors were “too frightened” and “involved in the paraphernalia of office.”

Adebanjo believes that a brand-new people’s constitution could be the key to ending some of Nigeria’s existential problems, particularly the menace of insecurity.

He argues that state police would be a significant step in addressing the country’s security challenges.

Critics of state police have been labeled as talking “arrant nonsense” by Adebanjo.

He believes that those fighting insecurity should be localized, as the current system of policing from Abuja is ineffective.

With kidnapping and banditry taking an ubiquitous dimension all over the country, the President and the 36 state governors met in mid-February to discuss the creation of state police.

However, not much progress has been made on this front.

Adebanjo urges President Tinubu to use this opportunity to rewrite the mistakes of the past by ensuring that Nigerians decide on a constitution they agree to govern their co-existence.

The elder statesman suggests taking the 2014 National Conference Report and the El-Rufai Constitution Recommendation of the APC and reconciling their recommendations to move forward.

The former lawyer insists that the military-imposed constitution must be replaced with a people’s constitution, and until that happens, Nigeria will continue to face challenges in its quest for peace and stability.