Afenifere rejects constitutional review, insists on 2014 confab report

Pan-Yoruba socio-political organisation, Afenifere has recommended the adoption of the reports of the 2014 national conference and restructuring of Nigeria as a basis of a meaningful new constitutional order for the country.

The organisation also faulted the Water Resources Bill, describing it as “so dangerous as it seeks to convert waterways to RUGA facilities for the Federal Government.”

“We ask that the Bill be dropped immediately except there is an agenda to divide the country being pursued frenetically”, the Yoruba group added.

Afenifere made its position known in a communique issued on Monday by its National Publicity Secretary, Yinka Odumakin, immediately after an online meeting of its national caucus presided over by its leader, Chief Reuben Fasoranti.

According to Afenifere, the recommendations of the 2014 confab should be an alternative to constitution review which, it said, “has become a ritual every four years without tangible progress.”

The communique reads, “The meeting reviewed the latest invitation for memoranda by the Senate for constitutional review and observed that the exercise has become a ritual every four years without tangible progress. It would be sad if the country is being taken through another motion without movement in the midst of its constitutional disorder.

“We, therefore, recommend the reports of the 2014 national conference and other profound positions on restructuring as a basis of a meaningful new constitutional order for Nigeria. The mainly pro-federal reports have enough provisions to take Nigeria out of its present crisis.

“The meeting also discussed the Water Resources Bill rejected by the 8th National Assembly which has been revived surreptitiously by the House of Representatives and concluded that a dangerous agenda is being pursued by the Executive in wanting to subvert the Land Use Act in the constitution that vests lands in the states in the govern.

“The meeting considered the recent increases in the prices of petroleum products and electricity as the most insensitive policies against people being ravaged by a national pandemic without adequate support from their government. To ask Nigerians to pay more for these facilities is wicked and inhumane. We call on the people to use all constitutional and peaceful means to resist and reject the hikes.”