By Ekuson Nw’Ogbunka Abuja
The principal partner, Friends Chambers in Abuja and Anambra, Prince Orji Nwafor – Orizu has advised President Ahmed Bola Tinubu to as a matter of seriousness and fact, listen to advices from the convener, Northern Elders Forum (NEF), Prof Ango Abdulahi and the leader of the Patriots, Chief Emeka Anyaoku, who doubles as the former Common Wealth Secretary General.
The Nnewi in Anambra – born prince addressed journalsits in the ancient palace in Anambra over the weekend.
Recall that members of the Patriots, a group of eminent Nigerians led by Anyaoku, recently, met with President Bola Tinubu and appealed to him to send an executive bill to the National Assembly (N/Ass), proposing the convening of a national constituent assembly with the mandate to produce a draft of the people’s democratic constitution.
Speaking with the President at the State House, Abuja, Anyaoku, also told the President that: “The constituent assembly should be of directly elected individuals, on a non-political basis, from the 36 states of the federation, possibly three individuals per state, and one from the FCT.”
It would also be recalled that a former Vice Chancellor, Ahmadu Bello University and convener of the Northern Elders Forum, Professor Ango Abdullahi, shared his views on the current state of Nigeria under the Bola Ahmed Tinubu government.
Prof. Abdullahi highlighted the Amalgamation Decree of 1914, which stipulated that the entity called Nigeria would expire after 100 years, just as he advised for a conference to evaluate whether Nigerians have made sufficient progress in building a nation. In his suggestions, if no consensus is reached, Nigerians, according to him should consider going their separate ways.
Still urging Tinubu to listen to the two elder statesman, Prince Orji Nwafor – Orizu said: “I take the views of Anyaoku and Abdulahi as words of wisdom from elders which today’s politicians shouldn’t ignore. There is no doubt that action is required by the president outside the existing constitution, to save Nigeria from political disintegration.
“The meaning and the only meaning of the action is to initiate an executive bill as suggested by the Patriots, to convoke an independent sovereign conference. The present constitution was brought by the military and forced on the people. It is only the proposed sovereign conference that will bring out a people’s constitution with federal character and other matters that are troubling Nigeria today.”
Hailing Prof Ango Abdulahi for coming out boldly to say what he (Nwafor-Orizu), describe as truth, he had this to say: “Prof Ango Abdulahi himself who brought it out to the public domain, at least they will not term his views as coming from IPOB, Ndigbo or those seeking for Biafra. I look at his statement about continued existence of Nigeria as a wise statement from a well thinking patriotic elder and a statesman.
On his humble opinion, Prince Orji Nwafor-Orizu said: “Nigeria should look at other countries of the world and draw examples of countries that has been balkanised without bickering or war. Such countries, include USSR, Yugoslavia, Senegambia, Sudan, among others. Part of present day Cameroon was in Nigeria, but by a plebiscite, the area opted to be in Cameroon, without war or bickering.”
In effect therefore, the constitutional lawyer however believes that Nigeria can adjust itself by plebiscite, especially and the present constitution can’t be used to balkanize the country, just as he added that it is obviously becoming difficult to coordinate ethnic nationalities and deep religious differences within the nations in Nigeria.