A former president of the Nigeria Bar Association (NBA), Chief Wole Olanipekun, SAN, has declared support for a constitutional review proposing a six-year single term for presidents in the country.
The bill which was sponsored by the member representing the Ideato North/Ideato South Federal Constituency, Imo State, Ikenga Ugochinyere, and 33 others was rejected by the House of Representatives two weeks ago.
But the 34 lawmakers vowed to carry out more consultations with stakeholders towards reintroducing the proposal in the future which is seeking an amendment to the 1999 Constitution.
The legal icon who said the proposal was first initiated in 2002 when he was the NBA President with distinct stipulations, said it was proposed to stabilize the country’s system of government and avert crisis brewing among geopolitical zones on the presidential seat.
He however regretted that the proposal was rejected by the former president, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo when he was the leader of the country.
Olanipekun stated these at the weekend while speaking with newsmen in Ikere-Ekiti, Ikere Local Government Area of Ekiti state during the 28th Scholarship Award Scheme, and 5th Empowerment Programme of Wole Olanipekun Scholarship Scheme, (WOSS).
According to him, “When I was the president of the NBA, 2002-2004, we originated it. It was one of the proposals we brought to Chief Olusegun Obasanjo as president but he rejected it.
“The proposal was beautifully crafted and the plan was to stabilise the federal republic of Nigeria and we suggested a single term of five or six years for presidents.
“We suggested that there are six geo-political zones in Nigeria, if the President comes from the Southwest, there will be six Vice Presidents but those VPs must have a portfolio like ministry of Justice, Education, Defence, FCT, Works and the rest.
“A geo-political zone that has a Vice President of education will not have a Minister of education. We read it out for him and if per adventure, the president of a geo-political zone whether impeached or dies in office, the Vice President from his geo-political zone will complete his tenure.
“We would have stabilized the system but it didn’t work. Obasanjo even told me, he said ‘Look at you, I have dribbled and my ball is now in the 18 yard box, you are suggesting what kind of president I am’
“I am still on the view that we have to do something about the constitution, we have to look into it, the constitution to me is not federal, it does not reflect what we have on ground as people of Nigeria, as the context of Nigeria.
” We should have a constitution that is homegrown, no constitution is perfect but we can’t be going on with an imperfect constitution, it’s just a house with no good foundation and something has to be done to it.”
He revealed that since the inception of the scholarship and empowerment programmes in 1996, a total of 4,219 Nigerians have benefited from the annual programmes.
Giving a breakdown, he said the Wole Olanipekun Scholarship Scheme, (WOSS), had initially produced a total of 3,019 beneficiaries and 800 in the Wole Olanipekun Foundation, (WOF), Empowerment Programme, with 150 and 250 beneficiaries in 2024 respectively.
The state governor, Biodun Oyebanji commended the legal luminary for supporting his administration’s education and employment drive.
While describing him as a living legend, he called on other well-meaning Ekiti indigenes to emulate the selfless service, which Olanipekun had exemplified, for Ekiti to move forward.
The senator representing Niger East and chairman Senate committee on Finance, Senator Musa Sani commended the philanthropist gestures of the former NBA president towards the development of his people and the community.
Sani who is the chairman of the event said people should not leave government alone to develop the society, noting individuals such as Olanipekun should be encouraged to make impacts across sectors of the economy.
The Ogoga of Ikere-Ekiti, Oba Samuel Adejimi Adu commended the gestures of Olanipekun towards the people and the community, who he described as an outstanding, and distinguished leader of the kingdom.
and then