… Says He Can’t Stop Nigerians From Amending Constitution
BY MAYOWA SAMUEL
The Peoples Democratic Party has cautioned President Muhammadu Buhari to stop pushing the nation to the precipice by his remarks as well as inflammatory referencing to war, particularly in his apparent aversion towards the constitutionally guaranteed rights of Nigerians.
Kola Ologbondiyan,
National Publicity Secretary of the party, indicated this in a statement on Sunday in a reaction to comments credited to President Buhari, wherein he reportedly said demand by Nigerians for constitutional restructuring was contiguous with warfare, labeling proponents as “mischievously dangerous” on Saturday.
The PDP described President Buhari’s reported remark as evidence that had no time for the call by Nigerians, across board, for a discourse on the state of the nation, particularly in the face of worsening insecurity, economic hardship and sectional disagreements. It added that it further demonstrated the “arrogant and dictatorial disposition” of the APC towards the people.
“It is instructive to inform President Buhari that, as citizens of a democratic state, Nigerians have every right to demand for constitutional restructuring as well as a democratic forum to deliberate on good governance and national cohesion.
“The PDP notes that such demands are neither synonymous nor contiguous to warfare.
“It is appalling, and to say the least, despicable, that Mr. President and his party, the APC, who came to power in 2015 on the promise of restructuring, have not only reneged, in utter duplicity towards Nigerians, but also turned around, six years after, to label restructuring as warfare and Nigerians demanding for it as “mischievously dangerous”.
“President Buhari should be tutored to know that even the quest for efficient local government system as well as an effectual judiciary, which he alluded to as a focus, can only be achieved through a constitutional restructuring that directly confers and vests the required powers and control to them.
“Only recently, President Buhari confessed how he asked some state governors who came to him on issues of security to go back to their respective states and face the challenge.
“The amendment or alteration of the constitution to permit state police as widely demanded by Nigerians is therefore a form of restructuring that will adjust our policing system without creating a war.
“In as much as the PDP hold the unity and indivisibility of our nation as supreme, our party,however, supports amendments that will alter the 1999 Constitution (as amended) in any manners that will engender good governance and reinforce, rather than detract from her unity, peace, equity and stability.
“Moreover, our party invites Nigerians to note that the APC, as a party, does not have any iota of regard for their aspiration as a people, and as such must not be further entrusted with the fate of our nation after the Buhari abysmal tenure”, the party said.
