Friday 27 February 2015

2014 Confab’s resolution is change Nigeria needs, not Buhari –Yoruba leaders


Eminent Yoruba leaders converged on Ibadan yesterday and returned a verdict that the real change that Nigerians need is in the resolutions of the 2014 National Conference convened by President Goodluck Jonathan and not the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), General Muhammadu Buhari (retd).

This was disclosed at the second edition of the post national conference summit entitled: ‘The National Conference, 2015 Elections and the Yoruba Nation,’ which was held at the Premier Hotel, Ibadan.

The summit, which had well wishers such as former governor of Anambra State, Dr. Peter Obi and chairman of the Nigerian Summit Group, Mr. Tony Uranta, in attendance, was convened by the Ondo State Governor, Dr. Olusegun Mimiko. It was chaired by the chairman of the pan-Yoruba socio-cultural and political organisation, Afenifere, Chief Ayo Adebanjo.

Speakers at the summit extensively discussed, amongst several things, what the gains of Yoruba nation would be if the resolutions of the 2014 National Conference were implemented apart from mapping the future of the Yoruba nation, within the context of the 2015 general elections and the future of Nigeria.

The summit resolved to fully back and work for the re-election of President Jonathan in the presidential poll, describing re-election of Jonathan as the only way that could guarantee the implementation of the Confab’s resolutions. According to the leaders, the APC does not believe in the national conference and would not implement the resolutions, which would restore Nigeria to the glorious days.

A 10-point communiqué read by Chief Adebanjo at the end of the summit read in part: “The only change that the Yoruba nation considers to be in the best interest of Nigeria is a structural change of Nigeria on the basis of the recommendations of 2014 Confab. The Yoruba nation is going to work assiduously to ensure that the Confab recommendations get translated to concrete realities.

“The Yoruba nation is committed to a united and indivisible Nigeria based on the principle of justice, equity and the rule of law with ample respect and understanding of cultural, religious and linguistic differences.”

The summit also threw its weight behind the resolutions of the Confab, that each of the existing six geo-political zones in the country be equally divided into nine states, according to the Yoruba core value, in which equity is ranked very high.

According to the summit, the Yoruba nation is also in support of the recommendations of the Confab, particularly those that touch on the devolution of powers, creation of states and community state police services, making prisons service a concurrent matter, allowing each state to have its constitution, decentralisation of the powers over the establishment and management of railways, seaports, airports and development of solid minerals as central to the core interest of the Yoruba.

It also stated that the thoughtful recommendations of the Confab on the constitutionalisation of rotational presidency among the six geo-political zone and the rotation of the position of governor among the senatorial districts of each state is in accord with the political aspiration of the Yoruba.

Dignitaries that attended the summit included former governor of the old Western Region, General Adeyinka Adebayo; the leader of Afenifere, Pa Reuben Fasoranti; former Minister of Justice, Chief Richard Akinjide; National Leader of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), Chief Olu Falae; a retired archbishop of Methodist Church, Most Rev Ayo Ladigbolu; Coordinator of Oodua Peoples Congress (OPC), Otunba Gani Adams; and founder of OPC, Dr. Fredrick Fasehun.

Also in attendance were the Minister of State for FCT, Oloye Jumoke Akinjide; Senior Special Assistant on Public Affairs to President Jonathan, Dr. Doyin Okupe; former governor of Ogun State, Otunba Gbenga Daniel; former governor of Oyo State, Otunba Adebayo Alao-Akala; National Secretary of the Labour Party (LP), Mr. Kayode Ajulo; National Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Prof Wale Oladipo; former chairman of the Senate Committee on Appropriation, Senator Iyiola Omisore, and a host of others.

The Sun News

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