Babalola Urges Substitution of 1999 Constitution for 1960/63’s Before Election to Save Nigeria

•Calls for voluntary donations to offset Nigeria’s debt

Gbenga Sodeinde in Ado Ekiti

Founder and Chancellor, Afe Babalola University (ABUAD), Chief Afe Babalola, SAN, has reiterated his stand that except the Nigeria Constitution was amended by substituting the 1960/63 Constitution for 1999 Constitution,  any election conducted under the current 1999 Constitution could not produce leaders that would bring meaningful changes to the country.

While arguing that, “Nigeria is on her way to total collapse,” he said, “I am insisting that unless a new Constitution, similar to the good old days of 1960 and 1963 Constitutions, with necessary amendments, is put in place, none of the aspirants, and indeed, no angel can save the country from total collapse.”

Babalola, who stated this at a press conference on State of the Nation in Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti State yesterday, on the topic: “Nigeria’s huge external debt and the 1999 Constitution – 2023 in perspective”, however, called for voluntary donations to offset Nigeria’s debt.

Worried about the debt profile of the nation, Babalola said well-meaning Nigerians should donate voluntarily to offset Nigeria’s rising debt profile, pointing out that the huge external debt should be an urgent issue to be addressed.

“The huge external debt of N42.84 trillion, increasing cases of killing, kidnapping, mismanagement of public funds, unemployment, strikes, poor allocation of funds for education in federal institutions and double digits inflation etc are call-out from the inappropriate 1999 Constitution, which was put in place by the military.

“I have no sympathy for any Nigerian, who is aspiring to rule Nigeria in any form, whether as legislator, governor or president. However, the fact remains that 1999 Constitutional, on large measure, is the root cause of economic, social, political and religious problems in the country today.

“Our bitter experience since 1999 has taught us that we are in urgent need of a new Constitution, which should provide for stringent conditions, in respect of age, academic qualifications, character and personality, as well as family background of candidates, especially, for presidency and National Assemblies.

“It is so bad that even myself, as an elder statesman, Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Highest tax payer in old Ondo State, highest tax payer in present day Ekiti, owner of best private university in Nigeria and many more, if I contest for political office today, I will fail, not because I am not qualified, but because the system will make me not to win

“Recall that in my address to the press on April 18, 2022, I urged the FG to suspend the 2023 elections and raise an interim government of six months that will fashion out a  brand new  construction for the country.”

Babalola, therefore, maintained that the presidency and National Assembly remained the problem of Nigeria, stressing the fact that Nigeria needed people, who were ready to give their all for the good and progress of the Nation.

According to him, “Those who have brought us to where we are today, are the leaders in the presidency and National Assembly. They are those who have benefited from our resources. Most of the legislators in our parliaments today, got there through godfathers and will continue to do things to please them.”

The elder statesman insisted that any Nigeria aspiring to rule Nigeria in any form ought to be concerned and indeed worried that Nigeria was owing such a huge debt, stressing that, “Nigeria is broke, and on her way to bankruptcy,” even as he added that a committee should be set up by the government for immediate payment of the nation’s debts.

“Before Nigeria is formally declared bankrupt, it is my view that all these Nigerian billionaires and trillionaires and indeed all patriotic Nigerians should make voluntary donations through a Committee to be set up by the government for immediate payment of all or substantial part of this huge debt.

“I know a few persons with whom the money, if donated, will be safe. Someone like myself, I do not need the money for anything. Someone like Bishop Kukah, Pastor Adeboye, Bishop Oyedepo, former President Olusegun Obasanjo. If the donations are kept with these people, I assure you, that the money will be safe and used for its purpose, which is the repayment of our debts.”

Babalola, however, said, the government should emulate Obasanjo’s example by approaching the creditors either for total forgiveness of the debt or substantial reduction of the debt, saying, “This is a practical and more realistic way of paying the huge debt, thereby reviving our economy.”