PRESS STATEMENT

ENAHORO ON AFENIFERE CRISIS

Pro National Conference Organisation has said Elder statesman, Chief Anthony Enahoro will only be prepared to intervene in the brewing crisis of confidence in Yorubaland, if the feuding actors can tactically 'cease fire'.

PRONACO, which produced a draft constitution for the country last year, also tasked the newly inaugurated national assembly joint committee on constitution review, at the weekend in Lagos,  to urgently facilitate a truly representative constituent interface of the Nigerian stakeholders to legitimise the constitutional review process.

While reacting  to some entreaties made to the leader of PRONACO to mediate in the resurgent face off over Yoruba leadership ,  PRONACO Spokesman, Mr Wale Okunniyi said although the Elder statesman is well positioned and quite amenable to wading into Yoruba matter, he may only be disposed in this circumstance, if the disagreement is quickly internalised by parties involved.

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“ Although,  given Papa Enahoro unparallel political pedigree and experience on  national question,  he is best suited and prepared to make sacrifice for the stability of any of the nationalities involved in the PRONACO process, however he would  be unable to intervene in this current matter of the yorubas, if the actors continue to advance negative press and mobilisation” Okunniyi warned

Okunniyi however disclosed that  a process of consultations may be initiated this week on the steps to take in ending the feud, after which the Elder statesman will be briefed on possible options available to him. He however called on all well meaning Yoruba sons and daughters not to lose faith as superior logic will soon prevail.

In the same vein, the PRONACO scribe charged the joint committee on constitutional review inaugurated last Thursday in Abuja to rise beyond personal gains by yielding to the yearnings of Nigerians for the facilitation of a stakeholders’ conference on the constitution rather than reinventing the failed approach of public hearings  and separate consultations of  notable elites in the zones.

“The only credible means of involving the Nigerian stakeholders and by extension  legitimising the current process of review,  is for the committee to initiate a round table or a clearing house, where all the stake holders can interface and negotiate what comes out from the review into the new constitution.

 That way, we can build  national consensus, stable polity and enduring peoples’ constitution because the process will be  more inclusive, engaging, democratic , productive , transparent and  popular than the elitist and divisive mechanical zonal  approach ”Okunniyi counselled

signed

Olubori Obafemi

Media Assistant