Afenifere calls for change in 1999 constitution, recalls confab, other reports on true federalism

Worried by the increasing rate of insecurity in some parts of the country, pan-Yoruba socio-political organisation, Afenifere, has called on the federal government to consider the establishment of state police and true federalism.

The group which made the call on Wednesday after a meeting held at the residence of its leader, Pa Ayo Adebanjo in Ogbo Ijebu, Ogun State, said creating a state policing system will help checkmate the activities of criminal elements, bandits and attacks by some armed herdsmen on farmers across the nation.

In a communiqué issued at the end of the meeting by the Secretary-General of the association, Chief Sola Ebiseni, Afenifere also called on the government to consider changing the 1999 constitution by adopting either the report of the 2014 Confab or the Nasir El-Rufai Committee on Federalism to restructure the country.

“Afenifere observed the alarming resurgence of insecurity occasioned by the activities of armed cattle herders terrorising farmers, killing, maiming the people and raping women for which some of the host communities are no longer comfortable living with the killer guests,” part of the communiqué reads.

“While Afenifere appreciates the constitutional rights of every Nigerian to live in any part of the country of his/her choice, it is important to stretch and ensure that such citizens live in peace with their hosts and respect their culture and economic prosperity.

“Afenifere reiterates our opposition to open grazing of animals and reaffirms preference of ranching as the world’s best practice of animal husbandry.

Read also: Insecurity: Afenifere renews call for state police, urges governors to meet Buhari, National Assembly

“No matter is better than now to consider that state governments be allowed to play greater roles in the security of their states by establishing their internal policing mechanism.

“Nigeria is a federation of entrenched ethnic nationalities which has failed to evolve into a nation because of the deviation from the foundational principles of federalism.

“Except Nigeria is ruled based on true federalism which guarantees inclusiveness, fairness, egalitarianism, justice and a sense of belonging to all its constituent groups, it will remain a mere geographical expression with no sense of common nationalism and patriotism.

“In this connection, the only way forward is to change the military constitution of 1999 now and re-enact a constitution in line with the foundational federal principles.

“Afenifere therefore calls on the civil society and well-meaning Nigerians to join hands in ensuring that the Federal Government immediately sets the necessary modalities in motion in this regard.

“Afenifere further endorsed the resolutions of the Southern and Middle Belt Leaders Forum to which Afenifere belongs, on the need to restructure Nigeria using the Reports of the 2014 National Conference and the APC/El-Rufai Committee on Federalism as the irreducible template.

“Except this is done now and quickly, all the errors that occasioned the type of electoral shenanigans witnessed during the 2023 general elections and the technical judgement by the Supreme Court legitimising the same will fester ad infitum.”

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