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1995 Constitutional Conference: Abacha Almost Overthrown-Ofanogoro

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Former Minister of Information and Culture during General Sani Abacha regime, Professor Walter Ofonagoro, says the ex-military leader was almost overthrown by ‘his boys’ during consultations on the adoption of the 1995 constitutional conference report.

The Imo State-born elder statesman, said Nigeria would not have been in its current challenges if Abacha had converted the report of the conference to a constitution.

Speaking in an interview with the Tribune, Ofonagoro said the constitutional conference attracted prominent Nigerians, hence, the document churned out by it was in the best interest of the country.

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He said : “I was the chairman of the committee that organised the constitutional conference elections in conjunction with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to make sure that there was full participation in the conference and ensure that the West doesn’t boycott the elections so as not to sabotage the efforts of Abacha to get the country back to the civil rule.

“So I say okay, what do we do? How do we ensure that the election takes place when a whole region is determined not to participate in it? So we had to find a solution. In that case, there is no point in going through the normal process of using the voter›s card. So I said what we are going to do is universal adult suffrage, in which on the election day, everybody that is 18 years and above, queues up behind his candidate and we then count manually. And at the end of the process nobody went to court as they all saw transparency in the process.

Oluwole Awolowo was at the conference. Even [Odumegwu] Ojukwu, who led the civil war, was there in person. Alex Ekwueme was also there. Virtually all the big wigs in the country then were at the conference and we sat down for one and a half years and drafted a constitution that would have saved Nigeria all the troubles we are going through now. But Abacha refused to sign the constitution into law after all our efforts in June, 1995.

“And from that time till 1998 that he died, Abacha did not sign the constitution. He was just seeking opinions from all kinds of people, while his own boys were at the same time planning a coup to remove him.”

Asked if that constitution had been signed, Nigeria won’t be in the current mess, Ofonagoro responded in affirmative.

Yes, if the 1995 constitutional conference reports had been signed into law, Nigeria will not be in the mess it is today. Abacha split Nigeria into six zones (three majority zones and three minority zones), not majority in numbers, but in language like the British, which has four tribes or nations. The Welsh have the Welsh language, while the English have the English language. Then, the Scots have the Scottish language, while the Irish take the Irish language. But four of them make up the United Kingdom or Great Britain. So they rule in four and rotate their leadership. So, if we are going to have a united federation, why force everybody to stay on one unit and concentrate all the powers at the centre, making one ethnic group to dominate the rest? You are simply asking for disaster; it will never work. We have done our best to produce the structures and documents. I took part in the designing of the presidency and the rest.

We have done our parts to make the Nigerian project work. But now, what we see is mass killings. Before, Nigeria used to be one of the most secured people in the world. But now, it is the opposite.

” If you look at the 1995 constitution, which Nigerians agreed to, we said for the six regions, give each of them autonomy, so as to make the federation work. Each of the regions should be allowed to control its own resources and then pool a part of the resources to the central government. And this is what everybody is hoping and ready for, ” he said.

 

 

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Breaking: Tinubu Orders Release of Minors Arrested Over Endbadgovernance Protest

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President Bola Ahmad Tinubu

President Tinubu Orders release of all minors who participated in the Endbadgovernance protest .

 

The minister of information and national orientation Muhammad Idris stated this to state House correspondents.

Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, disclosed this while briefing State House correspondents, on Monday.

The Minister was flanked by the Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy; Sunday Dare, Special Adviser on Public Communications and orientation.

Idris stated that the President has instructed the Attorney-General of the Federation, Lateef Fagbemi, to begin the process of securing the minors’ release without delay.

“The President has directed that all minors be released on the and also reunited with their families anywhere they are in the country. A committee has been set up to look at the issues surrounding their arrest, detention and release. All the law enforcement agents related to the case will be investigated and anyone found wanting will be brought to book,” he said.

 

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76 Detained Children: Northwest Youth-Students Forum hails Senator Barau, AGF’s prompt intervention

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The Northwest Youth and Students Forum (NWYSF) has expressed its heartfelt appreciation to the Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Barau I. Jibrin and the Minister of Justice and Attorney-General of the Federation, Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, for their prompt intervention in the detention of minors by the Nigeria Police Force, following the End Bad Governance Protest.

The forum in a statement signed by its National Chairman, Abubakar Isyaku Balan said the swift action by the leaders will brings hope to the affected families and demonstrates a commitment to protecting the rights of vulnerable citizens nationwide.

He said “The giant move of the Deputy President of the Senate and the Attorney General of the Federal is no doubt a commendable one. We are proud of this and look forward to the release of the children courtesy of this movement.”

According to the statement, the NWYSF, as a forum comprising of talented youth and students, deemed it necessary to protectively initiate awareness programs that will enlighten the teeming youth on human rights and activism.

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“We acknowledge that the minors actions were driven by ignorance and a lack of proper orientation, underscoring the need for civic education and sensitization in the Northwest region. Addressing the underlying issues that led to this situation is crucial, rather than simply punishing the minors. This approach will foster a more informed and empowered youth.

“Considering the economic situation in the North, we urge the Federal Government to show compassion and release the detained minors, taking into account their age and circumstances. We also call on the government to provide support for their rehabilitation and education.

“In partnership with government agencies, non-governmental organizations, and community leaders, NWYSF will develop sensitization initiatives focusing on empowering youths with knowledge of their rights and responsibilities, promoting understanding and respect for human rights and teaching alternative dispute resolution methods.

“In view of the above, by working together, we can prevent similar incidents and foster a more informed, peaceful, and inclusive society,” the statement added.

 

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ICPC Arraigns Provost, Lecturer for Certificate Forgery in Sokoto

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Dr Musa Adamu Aliyu ,ICPC Chairman

The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has arraigned Hauwau Gimbiya Mukhtar Abdulkarim, the serving Provost of the Federal College of Education (Technical) (FCET), Gusau, alongside Abdullahi Boyi, a lecturer with the Sokoto State College of Education (SSCE), on alleged certificate forgery.

The duo were arraigned on a six-count charge, registered as charge No. SS/213c/2024, before Hon. Justice Muhammad Aliyu Sambo at the Sokoto State High Court. ICPC accused the two defendants of forging an appointment letter and using it to apply for the position of Provost at the Federal College of Education (Technical) Gusau, Zamfara State.

The defendants were also accused of making false statements to ICPC officers during the investigation, which is an offence under Section 25(1)(a) and punishable under Section 25(ii)(b) of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act 2000. “Both defendants, however, pleaded ‘not guilty’ to all six charges when read to them by the Court’s Registrar,” the ICPC revealed in a statement.

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Counsel for the defendants, Dr. Muhammad Mansur Aliyu and Mr. M.S. Diri SAN, moved for bail applications on behalf of their clients. They requested the court to consider reasonable bail terms, citing the defendants’ “established positions and cooperation during the investigation.”

Counsel to the ICPC, Mr. Suleiman Ahmad, did not oppose the bail applications. Following the consideration of the applications, Hon. Justice Sambo granted bail under specific conditions designed to ensure the defendants’ continued presence throughout the trial proceedings.

The bail conditions require each defendant to provide two sureties who are permanent residents of Sokoto State, with each surety signing a bond of one million naira (₦1,000,000). After granting bail, the ICPC prosecutor requested a date for the trial to commence, emphasizing the Commission’s preparedness to present witnesses and evidence in support of the charges.

Hon. Justice Sambo adjourned the matter to November 21, 2024, when the hearing is set to begin. The prosecution is expected to call witnesses and introduce material evidence to substantiate the allegations.

The ICPC press release was signed by Demola Bakare, Acting Director of Public Enlightenment and Education, and Spokesperson for the Commission.

 

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