Implement El-Rufai-led committee recommendation on federal constitution, NADECO tasks Tinubu

The National Democratic Coalition (NADECO) has tasked President Bola Tinubu to implement Governor Nasir El-Rufai’s committee recommendation on returning Nigeria to federal constitutional governance.

NADECO made the call in a statement signed by its general secretary, Ayo Opadokun, made available on Tuesday.

Noting that it was also a beautiful coincidence that the imperativeness of a return to federal constitutional governance was contained in the manifesto of the All Progressives Congress (APC), NADECO charged Tinubu to immediately fulfil his party’s manifesto.

The coalition stressed that a return to the independence/republican constitution will restore responsive and responsible government punctured by the military intervention of 1966.

NADECO held that the 1979 and 1999 constitutions were the bane of Nigeria’s “backwardness, stunted growth and unacceptable level of poverty,” which can be rectified by a return to the independence/republic constitution.

The statement read: “Mr President, you were part of the patriots who suffered deprivations, dehumanization, and hounding along with us as we spoke truth to the powers that forced themselves on us.

“Fortunately, your own party established the Governor El-Rufai Committee which recommended that the APC government should immediately fulfil its promise to return Nigeria to federal constitutional governance as contained in your manifesto.

“All that we are requesting you to do is to use your good auspices and commit yourself to be faithful to the promise upon which your party was elected into office.

“NADECO is more than convinced that a return to the Independence/Republican constitution will restore a responsive and responsible government in the minimum as we grapple with the business of reconstructing our country which was successively overran/damaged for the narrow personal interests of politicians in military uniform since January 15, 1966.

“All the many aberrations political, legal and structural which the different military dictators whimsically imposed on Nigeria can then be strategically corrected over time.

“Nigeria remains a country not a nation to date because the military had without Nigerian’s democratic approval truncated, illegally suspended, abrogated and replaced our negotiated independent constitution and replaced it with a unitary constitution to date.

“The 1979 and 1999 constitutions with preserved all the grave damages which successive military governments have forcefully imposed upon Nigeria remain the bane of Nigeria’s backwardness, stunted growth and unacceptable level of poverty.

“NADECO, on behalf of the silent majority of Nigerians, expects you to make Nigeria respond to her manifest destiny of providing leadership to the black race which is looking up towards us to take our rightful place in the global diplomatic leadership in order to prove that black civilization is consequential and important as the others for the growth and advancement of humanity.

“We pray the good Lord will grant you robust health, empathy and divine wisdom to provide unprecedented productive and impactive leadership which will in quick time enhance the standard and quality of lives of our people who have endured unbelievable economic deprivation, neglect and poverty in a country like Nigeria with the abundant human and material endowment and resources.”

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