Before the National Political Summit proposed in a new Constitution for Nigeria, the eminent Yoruba leaders and several interest groups of the southwest geopolitical area converged in Lagos on Thursday for a City Council meeting.
They met in Oodua House, around Toyin Street, in Iikeja.
Members of the Patriots, Southwest, who summoned the meeting attended.
They included Mogagi Gboyega Adjumo, who is the president of the Group's Defense and Mobilization Committee in the Southwest; Professor Anthony Kila, the National Strategy President, Group Defense and Mobilization Committee. Former Police Inspector, Tunji Alarapini, as well as Chief Adeniyi Akintola, San, were also present.
Representatives of AFENEFER, Yoruba elderly group, World Congress of Yoruba (United Kingdom Chapter); Osupa organization, Yoruba support group, Yoruba United, among others, also attended.
Patriots are a group of Nigerian eminents led by Chief Emeka Anyooku, former general secretary of the Commonwealth.
The group had announced at the beginning of this month a national political summit on the constitutional future of Nigeria, which is now proposed to take place between June 10 and 12.
The National Coordination Committee for the Summit includes eminent Nigerians from all over the country and co -contended by Senators Gbenga Daniel of the state of Ogun and Aminu Waziri also of the state of Sokoto.
Other prominent members of the committee include Kayode Fayemi, Labaran Maku, Tokunbo Awolowo Dosunmu, Pauline Tallen, Boni Haruna, Donald Duke, Ben Obi, Shehu Sanni, Daisy Danjuma, Aisha Ismail, Josephine Anenih, Charity, Christie Anyanwu and Ankio Briggs.
However, each geopolitical area of ​​the country is expected to present their respective positions that capture their specific and general interests that will form an integral framework for the new constitution proposed for Nigeria.
Addressing the journalists at the meeting of the City Council of Lagos, the president of the Group of Defense and Mobilization Committee in the Southwest, Mogagi Gboyega Adjumo highlighted the essence of the meeting, saying that it is to serve as a platform to harmonize the contributions and demands of the southwest with respect to the new proposed constitution.
According to him, “we, the people of Yoruba, want to present a position that is better adequate and represent our general interests as a nation and by extension as a country.
“That is why we call this City Council meeting where we discuss the critical problems that affect the Yorubas in Nigeria and the diaspora.
“We are talking about restructuring and true federalism, the return of powers, the control of resources, security, judicial reform, regional autonomy, local government administration, representation and inclusion of governance, as well as cultural and linguistic identity, etc.
“We all know, except that we are cheating ourselves, that our 1999 Constitution is not working. We need a new constitution called the constitution of the people and not the one that the military give us.
“The new Constitution will give us a new Nigeria. It will address the concerns of each geopolitical area of ​​the country.
“So, it is not a forum of political parties. In fact, we are not partisans in any way. Ort interst is yoruba interest as far as southwest is conceer. To People's Views and Suggestions from Different Groups Who Are Of Southwest Origin Within The Country and Abroad On What We Should Take To Abuja National Summit As to Yoruba Nation.
“The discussion does not end here today. We will continue to dialogue both virtually and in the sites as allowed by time before going to Abuja.
“By then, we would have added all our concerns, suggestions and recommendations that we will take to the National Abuja Summit as our collective positions.
“It's time for us to advance as a Yoruba nation and so Nigerian as a whole.”
Also speaking, the national president of the Strategy, Defender and Mobilization Committee of the Patriot of the Group, Prof. Anthony Kila, again made the essence, adding that it is important that the voice of the Yoruba people be harmonized as a clear and capable of influencing a good Constitution for Nigeria.
“Then, we, the Patriots, are determined to contribute significantly to shape a constitution that reflects the equity, justice and aspirations of all Nigerians. I am talking about a true constitution of the people that are lacking all Nigerians.
“Then, this Lagos meeting is one of several regional consultations that plan to take place throughout the country in preparation for the National Summit, whose objective is to produce a framework promoted by people for the constitution of our collective dreams of Nigeria.”