Suspension of 2023 election not in tune with reality ― Senate Spokesman

The Senate has said that it is not ready to join issues with the founder of Afe Babalola University, Ado-Ekiti, Aare Afe Babalola, on his call on the Federal Government to suspend the 2023 general election and set up a six-month interim government after the tenure of President Muhammadu Buhari.

The Senate Spokesman, Senator Basiru Ajibola, in a chat with Nigerian Tribune said Aare Babalola’s suggestions are his personal opinions that are not in tune with the reality of things in the country.

The Senate said it is very sad that such a comment is coming from a legal luminary that Nigerians so much respect as Section 9 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) clearly states the procedure for amendment and as a lawyer, Afe Babalola is supposed to know that.

According to the Senate, Nigeria is not in a military era where somebody will use a military fiat to come up with a new system of government without following due process.

He noted that his comment is more political than legal, as the suggestion is coming when the nation is preparing for the transition to democratic government.

Ajibola stressed that, for instance, pegging the age of political officeholders is not in tandem with the provision of the Constitution as it stands today and even the Americans that we are copying do not have such provision in their Constitution.

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He noted the job of a President is not a bricklayer’s job, it involves intellect and vision for the development of the country.

Speaking on the part-time legislators, he says the legal luminary appears not to understand the workings of the legislature.

“We are not only making laws, but we also carry out oversight functions, expressed the views of our constituents and on many occasions, we doused tensions in the country,” he said.

Ajibola also said that the suggestions by Aare Bablola would have been brought forward during the call for memoranda preparatory to the Constitutional amendment by the National Assembly but, unfortunately, he did not come up with any suggestion during the ongoing Constitutional amendment.

He, therefore, appealed to him that if he is so passionate about the suggestions he is making now, he should wait for the next Assembly where he will have the opportunity to submit his personal opinion for consideration.