- A senior lawyer has said that the restructuring of Nigeria is an important issue
- Afe Babalola called on federal government to begin restructuring programme before the next election in 2019
- Babalola said growing agitations in the country calls for an inclusive government through restructuring of the country
A senior lawyer and an elder statesman Afe Babalola on Sunday, July 2, said that the restructuring of Nigeria has become and important issue.
In a interview with Punch, Babalola called on the federal government to move make plans towards total restructure of Nigeria before the next general election in 2019.
The elder statesman said the current growing agitations in the country calls for an inclusive government through restructuring of the country.
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He said Nigeria runs a unitary government where states are still dependent of the centre irrespective of having a federal system.
“Left to me and referring to 2014 National Conference where restructuring was suggested, I will suggest a Sovereign National Conference.
"Whatever the result is turned over to a national referendum and the outcome of the national referendum shall be the people’s constitution without any resort to any assembly for amendment because as long as we still have this national assembly there, they can never restructure this country in a way that will be detrimental to the money they are earning," Babalola said.
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The senior lawyer added that the 2014 conference: “The 2014 conference says they should not earn salaries anymore they should be earning allowances. What have they done to it? Of course it will not be in their own interest to wipe off salary for allowances, so, they ignored it."
He also called on the Nigeria government to set all the necessary machinery needed for restructuring of the country in motion for a conclusive result before 2019.
"In a way, I’m saying there should be no election until we have a new constitution under the Sovereign National Conference.
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“There is urgent need by Buhari government because of the agitation in the country including former military president Ibrahim Babangida, who was one of the men who imposed this constitution on us, who in his wisdom has now changed gear and say let us restructure the country," Babalola added.
He also appealed to former military rulers to follow the footsteps of IBB and join the restructuring crusade.
NAIJ.com earlier reported that Babalola is the founding partner of the Afe Babalola & Co (Emmanuel Chambers).
He is also the founder of the Afe Babalola University in Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti state.
Babalola is said to be worth an estimated net worth of $150 million.
You can watch this NAIJ.com video of Nnamdi Kanu's talk on Biafra agitation:
