By; VICTOR DAZANG, Kaduna
Notable Statesmen and Eminent Leaders of thought across the country have concluded plans to mobilise national consensus and popular harmony on the agitations for the Restructuring of Nigeria to forestall possible degeneration of the festering ethnic political acrimony in the country
Mr Isah Olubori
According to a statement signed by their Media Assistant, Mr. Isah Olubori, these feelers emerged on Thursday in Lagos at a media interaction organised by a group of Elderstatesmen and Eminent leaders of thought currently consulting on how best to restructure Nigeria along the lines of democratic Federalism
Clarifying issues after the inaugural public intervention of the emergent pan Nigerian Movement, the group Head of Secretariat, Olawale Okunniyi, said at the weekend in Lagos that a high powered consultative team led by Elderstatesman, Prof Ben Nwabueze, SAN has already initiated a major tactical consultation across Nigeria to forge a negotiated consensus among critical stakeholders on how best to restructure Nigeria
Okunniyi, who also heads the Nigeria Political Summit Group, NPSG, a clearing house for ‘Eminent political leaders of conscience in Nigeria’ said regional youth groups as well as ethnic militias are also not left out of the ongoing national consultation aimed at facilitating a cohesive national movement around the agenda to restructure Nigeria on the path of democratic federalism driven by a negotiated peoples’ constitution, to be democratically adopted by social movements and component federating parts of the country
In his words’This stakeholders driven initiative, under the auspices of Project Nigeria Movement is projected to surpass what PRONACO achieved under Chief Anthony Enahoro and Prof Wole Soyinka between 2005 and 2007; when PRONACO convened a major peoples’ national conference of ethnic nationalities and social groups in Nigeria, leading to the unanimous adoption of a draft peoples constitution for Nigeria on 26th August 2006″
“The good thing here is that President Muhammedu Buhari with The Buhari Organisation, TBO was strategically involved in that former process, just as it is also instructive to note the unparalleled support of APC national Leader, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu to the PRONACO process as a sitting Governor in Lagos. It could therefore be reassuring to recall how both progressive leaders rode in the same vehicle into the open hands of Chief Anthony Enahoro and other leaders at the PRONACO Secretariat on June 12, 2006”
Okunniyi however announced that “An Octogenarian Professor of Constitutional Law, Ben Nwabueze, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, who is the only surviving holder of LLD in Law through examinations in Nigeria, a most prolific writer on the Nigerian constitution and foremost statesman and activist has been mandated to lead the national consultation to facilitate a negotiated consensus among Nigerian stakeholders on the restructuring of Nigeria”
“Members of the high powered consultative team from southern Nigeria enlisted so far, as announced, by Prof Nwabueze on Thursday in Lagos include Chief Emeka Anyaoku, General Alani Akinriade, Admiral Ndubuisi Kanu, Chief Ayo Adebanjo, Gen Ike Nwachukwu, Mr Donald Duke, Prof Pat Utomi, Prof Kimse Okoko, Solomon Asemota, SAN, Obong Victor Attah, General Ebitu Ukiwe, Chief Harry Akande, Prof Akin Oyebode, Dr Kalu Idika Kalu, Chief Tola Adeniyi, Prof Sola Ehindero among other eminent persons from southern Nigeria, including very vibrant youth and women activists, while the list of the Northern/middle belt team for the national consultation on restructuring is still being composed by the leaders of the North”
He said the labour movement and other social groups in the country have also been penciled for strategic consultation and mobilisation before a major interface with the Federal Government on the modalities for the restructuring of Nigeria, adding that the PRONACO Secretariat, in response to the new initiative, is expected to meet next week after which it will be expected to brief Prof Wole Soyinka, the group surviving arrowhead about its plans
Okunniyi however gave kudos to Nwabueze, the Convener of the new initiative to have been able to win the confidence of militant groups, like IPOB, Yoruba self determination groups, Ijaw youths among others, with reference to eliciting a rare buy in on Thursday from Nnamdi Kanu, the leader of IPOB to support the restructuring agenda based on the blueprint presented to the nation by Nwabueze on Thursday in Lagos
The PRONACO Spokesperson, also commended some Northern leaders of thought and Statesmen, who have already demonstrated positive disposition and readiness to negotiate national consensus on restructuring with stakeholders and leaders from other parts of the country
Okunniyi however singled out the Sultan of Sokoto as well as the leadership of both Northern Elders Forum and Arewa Consultative Forum for commendation on their latest disposition to the agenda for democratic Federalism in Nigeria, while he applauded Former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar for his vigorous country wide ideological campaign and fraternal support for the Restructuring of Nigeria towards the path of real democracy and proper federation
