A group of non-partisan Nigerians under the aegis of The Patriots has called on the President Bola Tinubu-led Federal Government to “effect the necessary fundamental change by bringing in a new people’s constitution” to help the nation effectively tackle its current challenges.
The group, which said in a statement on Thursday that it accepted the reality of Tinubu’s administration, stressed that “only a truly Federal Constitution as was agreed by Nigeria’s founding fathers will give the country a chance of tackling its current challenges effectively.”
While expressing worry over what it called “the current lamentable state of affairs” of Nigeria “including the declining sense of national unity,” among others, the group said the government had “continued to scratch the surface instead of addressing the fundamental issue of the governance system which flows from the constitution of the country.”
The statement, which was signed by Chief Rotimi Williams’ Chambers, partly read, “We accept the reality of President Ahmed Bola Tinubu’s administration, whose legitimacy derives from the judgment of the highest judiciary court in our land on the country’s 2023 national elections.
“We are very concerned at the current lamentable state of affairs in our country including the declining sense of national unity, the insecurity of life and property, and the increasing poverty and unemployment afflicting our citizens, especially the youth.
“Experience over the last 30 years has shown that despite the declared best intentions of our governments, Nigeria’s unity, internal security and economy have continued to deteriorate. In our view, the reason is that our governments have continued to scratch the surface instead of addressing the fundamental issue of the governance system which flows from the constitution of the country.
“We believe that President Tinubu’s government has a historic opportunity and responsibility for fixing this fundamental challenge. If he, like the previous governments, makes the mistake of avoiding to effect the necessary fundamental change by bringing in a new people’s constitution, Nigeria will inevitably continue its present dangerous decline.
“Only a truly Federal Constitution as was agreed by Nigeria’s founding fathers will give the country a chance of tackling its current challenges effectively.”
