Former Acting Governor of Kogi State, Chief Clarence Olafemi has said that the military devised the 1999 constitution as a trap to punish Nigerians.
He described the constitution as the nation’s “greatest enemy” since the return to democratic rule in 1999.
“Our greatest enemy today against the true democracy we are looking for is the 1999 Constitution. I met a former Speaker and the Current Deputy Clerk in the State House of Assembly and other notable Nigerians and we started debating on the issue of our Constitution.
“Even with this present amendment they are carrying out now, the publicity is very poor and below standard. People like me don’t even know that the exercise was in progress. So, I couldn’t have made my own contribution when the public debate for constitutional amendment was hosted in Kogi State.
“The Nigerian Constitution was created as a trap by the military to punish Nigerians. They knew Nigerians were saying ‘We don’t want you, you must go’.
“They now said we will deal with these People and they permanently enslaved us with that constitution.
“Now, how do we change the core area of the constitution that needs to free and liberate Nigerians? We cannot do it,” Olafemi told Daily Post.
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On June 12, Olafemi said Nigeria’s democracy is in shambles and the nation’s polity polluted by thuggery.
“Today, we have departed from the goal post of the June 12 election. Our politics has been polluted with thuggery, and killings.
“In fact, the people’s votes no longer count. It is democracy with might. How much money can you put into the struggle? How many thugs can you recruit to fill in the result sheets? In fact, we are making mockery of the whole concept of June 12. Ordinary councilors election, you will see thugs snatching ballot boxes.
“A sitting Governor doesn’t want to lose a single Local Government. He wins all the Local Government because he sits down in the comfort of his zone and gives instructions that, you must deliver all the Local Government in my State.
“He uses people’s money to suppress people’s will. He uses people’s resources to suppress their will. You can imagine what it is today, Local Government as a third-tier of government is not working.
“They are just figureheads. Resources meant for Local Governments are diverted by the States with impunity.
“We are really miles away from the goal post of our founding fathers’ concept of democracy.”