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Restructuring and interim government campaigner, Rev. Chris Okotie, has faulted electioneering promises of the major presidential candidates for the 2023 general elections.
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Providentially, his reaction coincided with release of manifestos of the two biggest parties – All Progressives Congress (APC) and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Speaking on a live radio programme in Lagos, the cleric observed that the 1999 Constitution (as amended) would not make it possible for any presidential flag-bearer to deliver on his promises because, according to him, the document contained several inherent contradictions.
He wrote on his Facebook page: “All the major presidential flagbearers are talking about modality –how they would do what – none is addressing conditionality, that is, the constitution, true federalism, resource control as the primary solution to the Nigerian quandary.”
He explained the conundrum: “Nigeria’s governmental incapacity is not modalities (about requisite knowledge and procedure), but conditionalities (inherent conditional obstructions).”
Okotie buttressed his argument with the metaphor of a pilot who wouldn’t fly his plane under inclement weather because it’s suicidal to do so – an apparent reference to modality. He declared that to attempt to base any actualisation of political promises on the present ‘dysfunctional constitution’ is a journey in futility.
The Delta State native concluded that the only way out was to adopt his brand of restructuring based on Aboriginal Democracy, which would “produce an acceptable Constitution that would meet the yearnings of the people.”
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