2023: Afenifere leader reacts as Tinubu confirms presidential ambition

Chief Ayo Adebanjo, leader of Pan-Yoruba socio-political group, Afenifere, on Tuesday, said his group won’t back any candidate for President in the 2023 general election until the current 1999 constitution is changed to reflect true federalism and regional autonomy.

The 93-year-old statesman also said there is no big deal in the declaration by All Progressives Congress National Leader, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, that he would be running for President next year.

Adebanjo, in a telephone chat with The PUNCH , however, said he does not believe in any election without constitutional change.

Earlier, The federal government of Nigeria has been asked to ensure the country gets a fresh constitution before the conduct of the 2023 general election.

The Nigerian Indigenous Nationalities Alliance for Self-Determination (NINAS) which gave the advice, said that the only solution to Nigeria’s myriad problems is to jettison the 1999 constitution.

The group, however, noted that the country would continue to be in crisis if the next general election is conducted without a new constitution.

On his part, John Nwodo, former president-general of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, says Nigeria must restructure to avoid a boycott of the 2023 elections.

Nwodo, a two-time minister, gave the warning at the 17th Gani Fawehinmi annual lecture organised by the Ikeja branch of the Nigerian Bar Association in Lagos, on Friday.

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He said things worked better under the regional government system as the regions enjoyed sovereignty over their national resources while paying royalties and taxes to the federal government.

Nwodo warned that to prevent “the coming catastrophe”, Nigeria must restructure and divert attention to agriculture.

He added that the restructuring process must be concluded before the 2023 elections to avoid a boycott by some sections of the country.