A former Deputy National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Bode George, has appealed to President Bola Tinubu to implement the recommendations of the 2014 Constitutional Conference to honour Chief Ayo Adebanjo and Chief Edwin Clark.
George made this appeal at a media briefing, on Friday, in Lagos.
Adebanjo, the late leader of the Pan-Yoruba Socio-Cultural Orgasation, Afenifere, who died at 96 on February 14, will be buried on Saturday in Ogun.
In the same vein, Clark, the late Niger Delta Leader, who died at 97 on February 17, will be buried on May 13 in Delta State.
Both deceased nationalists are said to have inspired the 2014 Constitutional Conference convened by former President Goodluck Jonathan, and participated in it.
Speaking on how to immortalise the duo, George said that best way to honour them was to release and implement the resolutions, into which they put all their lives’ experiences, in the interest of the nation.
The retired Naval Commodore and former military governor of Ondo, said that he got closer to Adebanjo and Clark during the Confab, working in the same sub-committee with them on what type of system that should be adopted constitutionally.
“Mr President, I am appealing to you, today May 2, release the report of the 2014 Confab for the benefit of the people of this country, in the memories of the two old men to immortalise their names.
“These people (Adebanjo, Clark and other elder statemen) are crying to Tinubu to release and implement that report.
“The report was unanimously agreed at the plenary session by the delegates.That is where we can be at peace.
“When I saw all the work — the contributions of these two elders— and look at it, they died three days apart, I am not afraid to say we are going to take over from where they started,” George said.
According to him, it has become imperative for the nation to look at the report right now that the ship of the state seems to be drifting in terms of economy, politics, security and others.
He added that the current system and constitution had become incapable of fulfilling the yearnings and aspirations of the people of Nigeria.
The elder statesman said that implementing the Confab would help resolve numerous challenges facing the country, including corruption, nepotism, sectionalism and poverty.
Speaking on security and economic challenges, George urged the President not to relent on efforts to tackle hardships and security threats.
He said there is also an urgent need to reform the electoral process so that elections would reflect the will of the people.
On recent defections of some PDP’s bigwigs to the ruling APC, the PDP chieftain noted that he was yet to fathom what genuinely attracted the defectors to APC.
He, however, said there was an urgent need to resolve all internal crises in PDP to build confidence in the party.
While urging PDP leaders to shelve personal ambition and work for the national interest of the party, George said, PDP is not finished.
