by Lekan Olanrewaju
The dust is still yet to settle over former Head of State General Muhammadu Buhari’s statements, warning of possible “bloodshed” in the country if the 2015 elections are not free and fair, but that hasn’t stopped leader of the Congress of Nigerian Political Parties from delivering a similar warning.
Speaking in Kaduna on Friday while delivering a paper titled “Towards Enthroning and Sustaining Democratic Practices and Ethos in Our Polity” at the 2012 Law Week of the Nigerian Bar Association, he stated that a Sovereign National Conference had to be organised to figure out solutions to the problems of the nation, otherwise there could be a possible revolution, similar to the recent Arab Spring.
“If the national conferences to be established, conducted and controlled by the sovereign people of Nigeria cannot hold, then Nigeria runs the risk of undemocratic forces taking over political power as happened many times in the past.” he said.
“There may even be a social revolution qualitatively superior and more effective than the present Arab Spring in the form of a Sovereign National Conference, which must proceed with a revolutionary struggle to establish a new reality of power to replace the existing one and establish an interim administration to conduct, direct and control the conference which can review and renew Nigeria.”
“Only the people of Nigeria are sovereign and they can assert their sovereignty when there is no peaceful alternative.” he continued. “The sovereign people of Nigeria constitute all Nigerians aged 18 years and above and are registered voters.”
“There are risks in both National Conference and Sovereign National Conference, but the risks of continuing like this and the political adventure involved are greater.”
“Those who realise the risks and fear them and still want the National Conference or the Sovereign National Conference must be good in reducing or even eliminating the risks. That is what other leaders in other countries that achieved or are achieving greatness did and are doing.”
“Why should Nigeria be different and pathetic? The present work of amending the 1999 Constitution by the National Assembly lacks credibility and the possibility of solving the problems of the negative state of the nation.”
All these old men talking about undemocratic forces taking over the Nigerian political system should go and sleep. A sovereign national conference is not a guaranteed solution to Nigeria's problem. We nay meet and still disagree so what next? Our problem is simply poverty, inequality, lack of healthcare, insufficient energy etc. These old men should stop distracting government. The only reason they are talking is because their bank accounts are drying up not necessarily because they care for the common man or the future of Nigeria.