THE only genuine change the nation earnestly seeks now is that of the constitution and not at the Presidency, eminent Yoruba leaders said yesterday.
They therefore resolved to work assiduously to ensure that recommendations of the National Conference are translated to concrete realities and back President Goodluck Jonathan’s re-election.
Notable leaders of the Southwest region stated this in Akure at a post-National Conference Summit with the theme, “2015 Elections and the Yoruba Nation.”
They include Chief Ayo Adebanjo; Chairman, Presidential Advisory Committee on the National Conference, Senator Femi Okunrounmu; Dr. Kunle Olajide of Yoruba Unity Group; Dr. Fredrick Fasehun, Chairman Unity Party of Nigeria UPN; Otunba Gani Adams, Coordinator of Odua Peoples Congress (OPC); Afenifere Secretary Yinka Odumakin, Prof. Dupe Olatubosun, Dr. Olusegun Mimiko and Minister of state for Works Dayo Adeyeye among others.
Chief Adebanjo, who was Chairman of the occasion, said that a vote for the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the coming presidential election, Major-Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (rtd), is a death sentence on the implementation of the confab’s report.
Adebanjo stressed that the change Nigerians are calling for is that of a structural one in the constitution not personality.
He remarked: “Who is succeeding Dr. Goodluck Jonathan? We must examine his antecedent. What we need is a change in the constitution, not from Jonathan to Buhari.
“If a southerner is not allowed to implement the 633 resolutions in the report of the Confab, no northerner will change it.”
He noted that the report has taken side with the people as the issues of state police, devolution of power, resource control, creation of local government and rotational presidency have been taken care of.
Dr. Fasehun said that four more years of Jonathan is acceptable than eight years of Gen. Buhari who “will introduce nightmares, dictatorial policies if Nigerians vote for him.”
He said that APC leaders are standing the truth on the head by their campaign of corruption, saying the incidence of 53 suit cases filled with new currency overruled by Buhari from Customs check is still fresh in the memories of Nigerians.
Adams said that a vote for Jonathan is a vote for a better Nigeria as the constitution would be structurally changed, noting that the country is doomed if the report is thrown into the dustbin by those who do not believe in the confab. Governor Mimiko said that the confab report when implemented, will create room for each state to have its own constitution, police force and prison service, as well as can create its own local governments, build its own airports, seaports and railways.
“Solid minerals that had been the exclusive preserve of the federal government since independence, have now been brought to the concurrent list.
“States can now create employment and develop at their own pace. With all that, it liberates everybody, it opens up the political space.
“I believe that the President, who set up the conference, wanted a transformed Nigeria. Now that they are scheming to hijack power so as to throw the Confab Report to the dustbin of history, I am sure that they will be proved wrong again.”
Those who signed the communiqué also included People’s Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate in Ogun State, Prince Gboyega Nasir Isiaka; former Deputy Governor Ekiti State Biodun Olujimi; Prince Dayo Adeyeye, Eng.Jide Adeniji, Chairman FERMA and Kola Are of the Yoruba Self-Determinant Group.
