AHEAD of the planned national conference, Yoruba leaders across the country, led by Dr. Tunji Braithwaite, yesterday converged in Lagos calling for the adoption of parliamentary system of government.
Also, they maintained that the outcome of the conference could only be accepted to Nigerians if it went through referendum.
The leaders who made the call at a gathering tagged: “Pan-Yoruba Agenda for the 2014 National Conference,” said the country had to return to parliamentary system of government, arguing that it was less expensive to run unlike the current presidential system.
Reading a 21-point agenda for the National Conference on behalf of others, the founder of Oodua Peoples’ Congress, OPC, Dr. Fredrick Fasehun, said the Yoruba people appreciated the fact that the parliamentary system of government allowed each of the region to develop at its own pace.
According to him, “Yoruba is moving for parliamentary system instead of the presidential system because the Parliamentary system comes with inherent advantages, including being less expensive, enhancing the de-monetisation of politics, de-emphasising corruptive tendencies, promoting easy re-call of erring public office holders and guaranteeing robust decussions before decisions are taken.”
Apart from this, the forum emphasised the need to subject the outcome of the conference to referendum, introduction of new constitution for Nigeria, respect for the rights of minorities and adequate representation of Nigerian 317 ethnic nationalities in the National Conference.
In an interview, Dr. Tunji Braithwaite said though, the National Conference was considered historical, no force within or outside government should attempt to stop it or programme its outcome.
According to Braithwaite, the amalgamation that brought Southern and Northern protectorates together in 1914 was fraudulent, arguing that this was therefore the right time to revisit it.
Also, the representative of Yoruba people in Kogi and Kwara states, Olusegun Oni said the desires of people in the two states were either to be lumped together to constitute a new state or create a boundary adjustment that would accommodate Yoruba-speaking local governments in both Kogi and Kwara states into the present Ekiti State.
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