Chief Mike Ozekhome, human rights lawyer has likened Nigerian governors to bandits for ambushing Local Government funds most often.
The foremost lawyer spoke at the ‘Ladi Adebutu Good Governance Symposium’ in Abeokuta on Thursday, saying “Governors, like bandits, routinely waylay council allocations from Abuja.”
He argued that governors in Nigeria have destroyed Local Government administration and impoverished the rural residents.
Nigeria, he claims, has a “suffocating system” as a result of the 1999 Constitution, which he calls a “false document from the bottom of hell,” and calls for its replacement.
He allayed fears that Nigeria is on the brink of collapse, if the leaders did nothing to salvage the situation now.
“I agree that Nigeria should stay together as one country, but, please, if we must be together as one country, we must re-negotiate the terms. It must be under agreed terms. That is where a constituent of people’s assembly comes up.
He faulted moves by the National Assembly members to amend the 1999 Constitution which he described as a bad document, adding that if a bad document is amended time, it will still amount to nothing.
“So, they can therefore make a law using section 4, promulgating constituents of the people. That same law provides a referendum. The National Assembly is saying it cannot give a new constitution. It can facilitate and midwife under section 4.”
