The Secretary General of the National Democratic Coalition (NADECO), Ayo Opadotun, has expressed his belief that President Bola Tinubu should take the initiative to invite leaders from different ethnic nationalities to collaborate on a draft constitution that will outline how the diverse people of Nigeria can coexist harmoniously.
Opadotun emphasized that Tinubu, who was once part of the struggle for democracy, has a responsibility to restore Nigeria to constitutional governance.
He also highlighted the advantage Tinubu has as a member of the All Progressives Congress (APC), whose manifesto includes a commitment to restoring Nigeria to federal constitutional governance.
Opadotun criticized the current 1999 Constitution, which he claimed was imposed by the military, and argued that Nigeria has not made significant progress since the return to democratic rule in 1999.
He attributed this lack of progress to the military’s imposition of their own agenda on the country, which he believes has hindered Nigeria’s development. Opadotun concluded by questioning the role of the country’s leaders over the past 25 years, suggesting that the military’s former commander in chief, General Olusegun Obasanjo, was imposed upon Nigerians as a result of their struggle for democracy.
Opadotun criticized Obasanjo’s administration for not promoting democracy during his eight-year tenure from 1999 to 2007, citing the implementation of Sharia law in Zamfara as an example. He questioned the consequences of having two different sets of laws in the country and called for urgent action.
He urged the President to organize a national conference to develop a new constitution, emphasizing the importance of involving ethnic nationalities and their leaders in the process.
Opadotun expressed support for transitioning from a presidential system to a parliamentary democracy, stating that it would better suit Nigeria’s specific needs.
