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| Dr Olisa Agbakoba, SAN |
Human Rights Activist and maritime lawyer,Dr Olisa Agbakoba,
has urged the President-elect, Muhammadu Buhari, to begin his administration on
May 29 with the rebuilding of the nation.
Agbakoba
made the plea in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos.
made the plea in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos.
He said it
was necessary and important that Buhari made an emergency proclamation before the National Assembly to enable him tackle the foundational problems before any meaningful structure could be built.
was necessary and important that Buhari made an emergency proclamation before the National Assembly to enable him tackle the foundational problems before any meaningful structure could be built.
Agbakoba
said that Buhari should also be ready to present his report card for the first 100 days even as he would begin on the path of rebuilding the nation.
said that Buhari should also be ready to present his report card for the first 100 days even as he would begin on the path of rebuilding the nation.
“My own advice is the president-elect needs to build on his massive goodwill and convince Nigerians that in spite of the challenges, he is up to task and he can do what to make Nigerians proud.
“ And I
think that he must have a milestone to report back the famous 100 days, so by September 6, 2015, he would be giving us his report card.
think that he must have a milestone to report back the famous 100 days, so by September 6, 2015, he would be giving us his report card.
“But because
the tasks are so huge, he must get a big force behind him. So I suggest that he does an emergency proclamation before the National Assembly, laying out the broad issues that he wants to
tackle.
the tasks are so huge, he must get a big force behind him. So I suggest that he does an emergency proclamation before the National Assembly, laying out the broad issues that he wants to
tackle.
“First would
be the fragile political structure of Nigeria, if you don’t sort it out, it’s unlikely that you can build anything on top. So, the constitution is the way to resolve Nigeria’s political challenges.
be the fragile political structure of Nigeria, if you don’t sort it out, it’s unlikely that you can build anything on top. So, the constitution is the way to resolve Nigeria’s political challenges.
“But we have
used a model or a process that has failed in the past, that is, each time we want to amend the constitution, we start from A-Z, it is not necessary.”
used a model or a process that has failed in the past, that is, each time we want to amend the constitution, we start from A-Z, it is not necessary.”
Agbakoba said there was need to re-balance the federation by an amendment, “which should involve taking powers from the centre and giving to the states, to get them busy and become responsible.”
He said an
amendment to empower some security institutions and the INEC as well as insulating them from executive interference was also necessary to control abuse of power.
amendment to empower some security institutions and the INEC as well as insulating them from executive interference was also necessary to control abuse of power.
He said that
Nigeria would be greater and better if the incoming administration agreed to fashion its plans after this agenda.
Nigeria would be greater and better if the incoming administration agreed to fashion its plans after this agenda.
