Restructuring only option for prosperous Nigeria, Adebanjo tells Tinubu

Chief Ayo Adebanjo, acting National Leader of pan- Yoruba socio-political group, Afenifere, has told President Bola Tinubu that the only option for the prosperity of Nigeria is restructuring by bringing about a Federal Constitution.

Adebanjo made the remark on Tuesday while speaking at Goke Omisore Annual Lecture (GOAL 2023), themed: “Southwest Regional Integration: The DAWN Commission Approach,” which took place at Muson Centre, Onikan, Lagos and organized by Voice of Reason (VOR).

The Afenifere leader noted that advancing the cause of regional integration among the South-West states cannot bring the desire result unless the 1999 Constitution was changed to a Federal Constitution where each state would have its autonomy as was the case when the sage, Chief Obafemi Awolowo, was premier of the region.

He urged Tinubu to live up to expectations by accomplishing “what he had been advocating for when he was in the trenches fighting for enthronement of democracy and Federal constitution.”

The elder statesman also charged the South- West states to be united in promoting the economy of their region, insisting that all what advocates of regional integration in the South West had advanced were realizable, but not possible under the existing constitution Nigeria was operating.

He lamented that major advancement recorded in the South- West economically was when Chief Awolowo, was premier of the region, noting that all the economic policies he postulated then were still relevant in moving the geo- political zone forward.

Otunba Olusola Adekanola, chairman, Goke Omisore Annual Lecture (GOAL 2023), in his opening remark, stated that the single agenda of the group was the pursuit of restructuring of the country, noting that a replication of the feat accomplished by the sage, Chief Awolowo can only be realized fully with comprehensive devolution of powers from the overburdened Federal Government to the federating units.

He stressed that it can be done through a comprehensive constitutional amendment rather than token efforts made by successive National Assembly in recent years.

Adekanola, however, applauded the vision of the South-West governors in bringing the DAWN Commission into existence, disclosing that VOR had continued to monitor the activities of the Commission to see how “we can collaborate to assist it to pursue the realization of its mandate at a faster pace.”

According to him, the group led by him also planned to engage more vigorously with South-West governors to ensure “they avail DAWN with adequate funding by making substantial provisions in their budgets annually towards financing all activities of DAWN.”