Afenifere Rejects Another Constitution Review, Warns Buhari Pursuing ‘Dangerous Agenda’

Pan-Yoruba socio-political organisation, Afenifere has rejected the new move to review the Nigerian Constitution again.

The group led by Pa Reuben Fasoranti, also rejected the increase in petrol price and electricity tariff, saying it was wicked and the height of insensitivity to consider such at this time.

The group, which insisted on the implementation of the 2014 Confab report, said the document should be used as the basis of restructuring the country.

Afenifere in a communiqué issued on Monday by its National Publicity Secretary , Yinka Odumakin, also knocked the Executive led by President Muhammadu Buhari for making several attempts to reintroduce the rejected RUGA policy through the Water Resources Bill.

The communiqué was issued after an online meeting of its national caucus presided over by its leader, Chief Reuben Fasoranti.

The organisation said the bill before the House of Representatives should be dropped immediately in order not to plunge the country into a serious crisis.

The pan-Yoruba group said the 2014 confab report should be an alternative to constitution review which they said had become a means of wasting time and resources every four years without any tangible result to show for it.

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 government.

“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”