The National Publicity Secretary of the Pan – Yoruba Socio-Political Group, Afenifere, Mr. Yinka Odumakin has said for Nigeria to survive its current precarious situation, it needs a new constitution.
Odumakin while speaking with New National Star in Lagos said: ” We need to pull down the 1999 constitution where the exclusive list is the longest in any constitution in the world. We need to go to a constitution like that of 1963 where the exclusive list was so short, where the major ethnic groups were able to define their affairs.
“You cannot control a country like Nigeria from Abuja and think you would have peace. Late Chief Obafemi Awolowo said it in his book, ‘Thoughts on Nigerian Constitution’ that a country like Nigeria cannot be run on a unitary constitution except you have superhuman beings to run it. And we don’t have superhuman beings ruling us.
“Nigeria cannot make progress as long as we run on the present constitution. We need a new constitution that will give autonomy to the regions that will have exit clauses like if you are tired and you want to opt-out of the country, you can do so. We are saying is that we need to go back to federalism. You can only run a country like Nigeria along federal lines. You cannot run a country like Nigeria, a multi-ethnic place on a unitary constitution and you think you would have peace.”
