Obasanjo tackles Buhari administration again

• calls for new constitution
• praises South-west governors on Amotekun

Former President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, has spoken again on the rising insecurity concern in Nigeria as well as other issues he believes militating against the peaceful existence of Nigeria as a nation.

.Obasanjo, who in his speech at the 1st Memorial Lecture for the late founder of the Oodua People’s Congress (OPC), Frederick Fasehun. on Saturday said safety and political construction had been of concern to Fasehun, stressed that the first duty of a chief of any human community or organisation is safety of life and property of all of the members of the community, the organisation or the society.

He said there isn’t a doubt that the nationwide safety structure, equipment, system and preparations in Nigeria immediately have failed to measure up to the needs of the residents in numerous components of the nation.

Obasanjo lamented that even the President Muhammadu Buhari himself confessed that he was shocked to come to know that issues are that unhealthy.

Obasanjo noted: “The Governors in numerous States of the nation as the Chief Security Officers of their respective States had been taking measures to improve and buoy up safety for his or her residents. These measures differ from paying off bandits, to looking them down with vigilantes and hunters and progressive joint efforts like Amotekun.

“What these Governors have proven was that they had been involved they usually cared. I might not know if any of them was shocked but most of them took steps as they deemed match to improve the safety of life and property for his or her residents and to increase the failing and insufficient safety offered on the nationwide stage.

“Whatever we could really feel individually or collectively by these totally different measures, these Governors have to be counselled and the place obligatory, they need to be helped to refine and make strong and environment friendly the efficient measures they have taken, from Katsina to Zamfara, from Adamawa to Benue and from South East to South West. From my personal statement as I talked to people and people throughout the board talked to me, nothing has united the people of South West like Amotekun since independence besides independence itself. Not even the civil conflict was such a unifier.

“I commend the Governors of South West for his or her daring and brave measure taken past political party affiliation to enhance safety structure and care for his or her residents. I significantly commend Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State for his management on this matter and for sharing their ideas with me. Security measures are by no means static and safety is the duty of all of us but by appointment and elections, some have more duty than others.

“It is instructive to note that the Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA), under the management of Sultan of Sokoto, turned extraordinarily fearful concerning the stage of insecurity within the nation after which referred to as on President Buhari to declare a state of emergency for safety within the nation.

”The NSCIA has adopted the road of different organisations, establishments and people who have expressed dismay and disappointment on the stage of insecurity and criminality everywhere in the nation as if there isn’t a authorities in charge on this nation. Calling for an emergency is a wake-up call for the Federal Government to know the magnitude of the extent of insecurity and to take efficient measure or measures to stem the tide.

“The Northern Elders Forum has spoken out on the pervasive insecurity within the nation. The Governor of Borno, Babagana Umara Zulum, has identified that in his eight months in workplace, Auno, a community in his State, has been attacked six instances.

“The Governors of South West acted, believing that Amotekun is one of the required measures. And most people of the South West support them. I’ll strongly advise that Amotekun and different measures put in place ought to proceed to be refined and improved upon to serve as enough complement and enhancer of present, disappointing and insufficient, nationwide safety structure and provision.

“We should be taught from the past, significantly from Native Authority Police. Professionalism and enough tools for the job are crucial for a severe safety equipment. Security is the inspiration of all human growth and progress. Common assured safety ought to lead to frequent and shared prosperity and growth.

“There has been embarrassing paralysis and katakata within the present nation’s safety home as if we have no one in charge. If it had occurred before, it was not so overtly within the public area. This kind of state of affairs can not do credit score to us as Nigerians and it may well solely sap confidence within the safety structure for people to say, ‘no wonder’. The President should accept the challenge and the duty.

“Let me move to the second at the moment germane and raging subject of our political construction and association which if Dr. Fasehun had been right here would have been of nice interest and concern to him. He confirmed concern about this subject when he was alive.

“The agitation on the end of the last century was for ‘true federalism’ considerably caused by Abacha’s autocratic and pernicious rule and self-succession and perpetuation and the method by which the democratic Constitution emerged. My administration was an heir of half of that agitation. The product of the political convention set up to deal with the agitation partly, if not in full, and which was personally handed over to the National Assembly was not superior to conclusion by the National Assembly.”