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A former Deputy National Chairman of the PDP, Bode George, has urged President Bola Tinubu to adopt the recommendations from the 2014 Constitutional Conference as a tribute to Ayo Adebanjo and Edwin Clark.
The retired Naval Commodore and former military governor of Ondo State, made this request during a media briefing held on Friday in Lagos.
Adebanjo, the late leader of the Pan-Yoruba socio-cultural organization Afenifere, passed away on February 14 at the age of 96, while Clark, a prominent Niger Delta leader, died shortly after on February 17 at 97. Both men played influential roles at the 2014 Constitutional Conference, which was called by former President Goodluck Jonathan.
To honor their legacies, George argued that the best approach would be to release and implement the resolutions from the conference, which encapsulated their lifetime experiences for the nation's benefit.
He shared that he had worked closely with Adebanjo and Clark on the same sub-committee, focusing on potential constitutional reforms.
“Mr. President, I am appealing to you today, on May 2, to unveil the report of the 2014 Confab for the benefit of our citizens, in memory of these two elder statesmen to ensure their legacies are preserved.
These leaders, including Adebanjo and Clark, are imploring Tinubu to publish and act on that report. The delegates unanimously agreed during the plenary session that implementation is crucial for sustainable peace in the country,” George stated.
He expressed deep concern over the current state of the nation, emphasizing the need to review the report now, as the country appears to be steering off course in sectors like the economy, politics, and security.
He criticized the existing system and constitution as inadequate to meet the aspirations of the Nigerian populace, claiming, “It’s ineffective. It has never functioned properly and it never will.”
George called on the President to release the report in honor of Adebanjo and Clark, noting their significant contributions.
He criticized the constitution as fundamentally flawed and too militaristic, with excessive power concentrated in the presidency.
He pointed out the discrepancies in local government structures, questioning their alignment with the national presidency.
Lamenting the inequalities among local governments in various states, he said, “Lagos, being the most populous state, has only 20 local governments, while Ogun, which is less populated, also has 20; Kano has 44, and Jigawa, carved from Kano, has 27. These disparities are evident.”
He echoed that the discussions during the conference aimed at establishing a constitution that addresses the needs and aspirations of ordinary Nigerians.
“We envision a United States of Nigeria that decentralizes power from the central government. The deceased advocates supported devolution of power before their deaths,” he said, adding that implementing the confab’s conclusions could alleviate many issues facing Nigeria, such as corruption, nepotism, sectionalism, and poverty.
On security and economic struggles, George urged the president to persist in addressing these challenges.
He also emphasized the urgent necessity for electoral reform to ensure that elections genuinely represent the electorate's desires.
Regarding the recent defections of notable PDP members to the ruling APC, George expressed uncertainty about what genuinely attracted them to the APC. Nevertheless, he acknowledged the need to resolve internal conflicts within the PDP to restore faith in the party.
He urged PDP leaders to prioritize national interests over personal ambitions, stating that “the PDP is not finished.”
