Former Works and Housing Minister Mr. Babatunde Fashola (SAN) has declared that President Bola Tinubu does not need to intervene in the ongoing political unrest in the states of Ondo and Rivers.
Fashola asserted that it is past time for Nigerians to alter “our ways,” in spite of the constant clamour to amend the Constitution.
He continued by saying that the constitution is clear about what should happen in these situations and what roles the parties involved should have.
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During the weekend, Fashola made these remarks in Lagos at the Nigerian Air Force Officers Mess Honorary Members Forum (HMF) 2023 Annual Lecture. The subject matter was “Leadership: Leading the Shift.”
“What is left to amend, except ourselves? We have amended the constitution,” he said. When some individuals were requesting that the President step in, was this a situation that called for his intervention? Does the President have a role in this situation according to the Constitution?
Are people who are asking the President to intervene in the states of Ondo and Rivers unaware that the President is not constitutionally empowered to do so?
Are they not also the ones who contend that the President and the federal government are overly strong and are interfering with state governments’ rights? Is this an instance of assigning blame when firm leadership decisions are asked for?
Thankfully, a few Ondo natives of blue blood have come forward to be counted in our Ondo case. However, they are clearly in the minority.
Before the governor’s letter brought peace back, they got involved in the fight for the rule of law and legality. And we want Rivers State leadership to take the necessary action,” he said.
