From Juliana Taiwo-Obalonye, Abuja and Lukman Olabiyi
Imo State Governor, Hope Uzodimma, has described the call by legal luminary, Chief Afe Babalola, for an interim administration at the end of the tenure of President Muhammadu Buhari, as a call to anarchy.
This is as he has claimed that the spate of attacks in the country, particularly Imo, Ebonyi and Kaduna states were sponsored by elements within the opposition parties to discredit the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC)-led Federal Government.
Uzodimma stated this at a press conference after meeting with President Buhari at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, yesterday.
Faulting the call for an interim government, the Imo governor said the Nigerian constitution had no room for an interregnum as suggested by Babalola.
“By May 29, if there is no elected government, our constitution has not provided for an interregnum. There shouldn’t be a gap, otherwise you are creating room for anarchy. What will be the process of selecting the interim government, because after May 29, the president may not have constitutional powers to function as a president anymore? So, I don’t think we will decide to abandon our constitution.
“Constitution is like a Bible. Some of us who are Christians, the Bible is the manager of our faith. So, the constitution should be the instrument guiding our actions as a country. If you think there is an opinion that is worthy to be canvassed superior to what is in the Nigerian constitution, such opinion should be taken to the National Assembly and they will through due process amend our constitution to factor in such opinion,” Uzodimma said.
Babalola, who is the founder of Afe Babalola University, Ado Ekiti (ABUAD), had made the suggestion at a press conference on Monday, saying there was need to suspend the 2023 elections to allow a six-month interim government after the expiration of Buhari’s tenure.
He said the interim period should be used to enact “a new-look peoples’ constitution which should provide for part-time legislators and non-executive president. He said the new constitution should also address insecurity, economic, political and other excruciating ills bedevilling the nation.
However, Uzodimma, while urging that Nigerians with opinions that affects the constitution go through the National Assembly, wondered what means would be used to determine the interim government if there was no election to replace the current administration.