The Afenifere National Caucus has warned the National Assembly to stop further deliberations on the contentious Water Resources Bill, saying a passage of the Bill would lead to chaos in the polity.
Afenifere gave the warning at the end of its online Caucus meeting on Monday presided over by its Leader, Chief Reuben Fasoranti.
According to its spokesperson, Yinka Odumakin, the meeting also discussed the ongoing co situation review effort of the Senate, the present hike in price of petrol and the recent death of Ambassador Walter Carrington.
See below the communique adopted at the meeting:
1 SENATE Constitution Review
Meeting reviewed the latest invitation for memoranda by the Senate for Constitution Review and observed that the exercise has become a ritual every four years without tangible progress. It would be sad if the country is being taken througn another motion without movement in the midst of its constitutional disorder. We therefore recommend the reports of the 2014 National Conference and other profound positions on restructuring as a basis of a meaningful new constitional order for Nigeria. The mainly pro-federal reports have enough provisions to take Nigeria out of its present crisis.
2 Water Resources Bill.
Meeting also discussed the Water Resources Bill
rejected by the 8th National Assembly, which has been revived surreptitiously by the House of Reprentatives, and concluded that a dangerous agenda is being pursued by the Executive in wanting to subvert the Land Use Act in the constitution that vests lands in the states in the Governors. The Bill is so dangerous as it seeks to convert waterways to RUGA facilities for the Federal Government. The Bill seeks to give 18kms after River Banks to FG when in a state like Lagos you hardly can go beyond a kilometer of any river before meeting residential buildings.
We ask that the Bill be droppeed immediately except there is an agenda to divide the country being pursued frenetically.
3) Fuel and Electricity Prices increases.
Meeting considered the recent increases in the prices of petroleum products and electricity as the most insensitive policies against a people being ravaged by a national pandemic without adequate support from their goverment. To ask Nigerians to pay more for these facilities is wicked and inhumane. We call on the people to use all constitutional and peaceful means to resist and reject the hikes.
4)Amotekun Should Be Independent
Meeting restated our rejection of the gaffe by the Federal Government that the Yoruba states security initiative, Amotekun, will function under the IG of Police. We fully back our governors that being a product of law by federating units, the outfit should be independent and not be muzzled under the failure of single police that necessitated it in the first place.
Seeking to take Amotekun over negates the untruth by the FG that it has commenced restructuring.
5) Farewell Walter Carrington
Meeting reviewed the life and times of the late former US Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr Walter Carrington who passed away on 18th August 2020.
Carrrington was the quintessential Ambassador in our June 12 years who gave all in support of our struggle. He refused to keep silent in the face of tyranny and promoted the culture of liberty and democracy in our country.
We can never forget his deeds here. Our hearts go to our Sister and his wife, Arese and the rest of the family. May his soul rest in perfect peace.
6) Congratulations Mr Adesina.
Finally, meeting congratulated Mr Akinwumi Adesina for emerging overwhelmingly victorious in his bid for second term as African Development Bank President. We are happy that his integrity took him through the fire of challenge and he was not burnt. May his second term be more glorious than the first.
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