*Says Current Govt Has Failed
The failure of the current Muhammadu Buhari administration has compelled me to call for an Interim National Government; eminent lawyer, Chief Afe Babalola said on Thursday.
He said while featuring on an Arise TV programme that now that Nigerians are no longer save at airports, on the train and campuses have been shut and the Naira is suffering, Nigerians have enough signs that the country has failed under them.
This was just as Babalola queried the N100m nomination fee for the presidential contest on the platform of the All Progressive Congress.
He asked Nigerians to query the source of wealth of those purchasing nomination forms saying those who do so have no clear means of livelihood.
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He said, “Now they are buying presidential form for N100m. Ask them what was their employments before now. How did you get N100m?”
Babalola also said the current constitution is a fraud and it is at the heart of all the problems being faced by the country.
He said his blame is not on President Buhari alone adding that representatives of the Executive and the legislature and others who occupy major positions to drive the country are responsible for what he called “collective failure” of the country.
Afe Babalola is an influential lawyer and founder of the Afe Babalola University who recently called for the suspension of the 2023 elections and the setting up of an interim government.
Babalola, in the interview, affirmed that Nigeria does indeed needs an interim government and therefore calls for a suspension of the current constitution.
He expressed concerns that using the existing constitution will most likely plunge the country into another poor leadership and bad economy.
He pointed out the slump in the security and economic sector while citing an example of the Naira going up to about 500 or more.
“One Naira, which was N199 to $1 when I was young… They themselves ought to know they have failed, these are failed leaders,” he lamented.
He said the current leaders “have failed to comply with what the constitution says,” adding “they should do which is to secure the welfare and security of the people.”
He recommended, “As soon as the present government completes its term, do not hold a new election.”
Babalola called on former presidents, governors, members of the civil society, professional bodies to come up and run an interim government.
He said it would be unfair to blame Buhari alone as responsible for the state of the country adding that those in the Executive, Legislature and others all have their portions of the blame.
Babalola added that Nigeria needs a very active leader who would treat all matters with the urgency they deserve.
He cited the instance of the Olusegun Obasanjo administration whom he recalled treated all files with dispatch.
He said what he has proposed is not new adding that different circumstances bring about the need for such arrangements in order to save the country.