The National Democratic Coalition (NADECO) has written Nigeria’s President, Bola Tinubu, urging him to immediately work towards returning Nigeria to a federal system of government.
In a statement by its General Secretary and Spokesman, Ayo Opadokun, the pro-democracy organisation maintained that Nigeria is currently a country and not a nation, stressing that the struggle to make Nigeria a truly federal state must be vigorously pursued.
While congratulating the president on his inauguration, NADECO noted that it was without prejudice to the democratic rights of his opponents who are contesting his victory at the election tribunal.
NADECO said it was gratified that one of its most prominent leaders who contributed significantly to the democratic struggle and campaign that the organisation embarked upon on behalf of Nigerians to restore democracy has by divine destiny become the elected president of the country.
The group reminded Tinubu that the most important demand of the struggle was the imperative to return Nigeria to a federal constitutional governance upon which Nigeria secured its independence.
“Nigeria remains a country not a nation till date because the military had without Nigerians democratic approval truncated, illegally suspended, abrogated and replaced our negotiated independent constitution and replaced it with unitary constitution till date.
“The deceptively choreographed 1979 and 1999 constitutions which preserved all the grave damages which successive military governments have forcefully imposed upon Nigeria remain the bane of Nigeria’s backwardness, stunted growth and unacceptable level of poverty,” the group said.
NADECO explained that it was convinced that a return to the Independence Republican Constitution will restore responsive and responsible government as Nigeria grapples with the business of reconstructing its country which it said was successively overrun for the narrow personal interests of politicians in military uniform since January 15, 1966.
All the many aberrations-political, legal, and structural which the different military dictators whimsically imposed on Nigeria, it argued can then be strategically corrected overtime.
“Mr. President, you were part of the patriots who suffered deprivations, dehumanisation, and hounding along with us as we spoke truth to the powers that forced themselves on us.
“Fortunately, your own party, established the Governor Nasir el-Rufai committee which recommended that the APC government should immediately fulfil its promise to return Nigeria to a federal constitutional governance as contained in your manifesto.
“All that we are requesting you to do is to use your good auspices and commit yourself to be faithful to the promise upon which your party was elected into office,” NADECO added.
NADECO said that on behalf of the silent majority of Nigerians , it expects Tinubu to make Nigeria respond to her manifest destiny of providing leadership to the black race, which is looking up to it to take its rightful place in global diplomatic leadership.
“We pray that the good Lord will grant you robust health, empathy and divine wisdom to provide unprecedented productive and impactful leadership which will in quick time enhance the standard and quality of lives of our people who have endured unbelievable economic deprivation, neglect and poverty in a country like Nigeria with the abundant human and material endowment and resources,” NADECO said.
Emmanuel Addeh in Abuja and Ayodeji Ake in Lagos
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