Former leader of the Alliance for Democracy (AD) in the
House of Representatives, Chief Oladipupo Olaitan, has urged President Olusegun
Obasanjo not to totally dismiss the calls for a Sovereign National Conference
(SNC), which he said is one of the surest ways of uniting the people of
Nigeria.
In a press statement signed by Olaitan, the former
federal legislator said the call by a large segment of the nation should be
given serious consideration by the President and the ruling Peoples Democratic
Party (PDP) as a way of moving the nation forward. “The President should
see the well-meaning people of this country as partners in progress and whose
contribution into nation building cannot be overemphasised,” Olaitan
said.
He said he believe the SNC will enable every segment
of the society to make meaningful contributions into the democratic process. He
noted that the President would be making a lasting impact on the democratic
process by ensuring that a truly democratic constitution is written before he
leaves office in 2007.
“This is the greatest legacy he would leave
behind for others to build upon. The present constitution, which was written
during the tenure of General Abdulsalami Abubakar, is replete with
contradictions and does not even defend the general principles of
democracy,” he stated.
Olaitan, who contested the last general elections
under the platform of the Progressive Action Congress (PAC), reminded the
President that under the law, sovereignty remains with the people (the voters)
and cannot be claimed by any elected representative as the President has been
doing.
“I think the President misunderstands the whole
doctrine of sovereignty. Sovereignty resides with the voters at all times and
that is why elected representatives can be recalled by voters,” said the
politician, who is the current chairman of the National Democratic Party (NDP)
in Osun State.
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