Olisa Agbakoba, former president of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), shared his insights on governance in Nigeria in an interview on Arise TV on Friday morning.
He remarked that Nigerians have exhibited remarkable patience since 1960, describing them as one of the easiest people to govern.
“Nigerians are the easiest people to govern,” he said.
Agbakoba emphasised the people’s fundamental desire for happiness and called upon President Bola Tinubu to prioritise actions that contribute to the well-being of the populace. One specific suggestion he put forward was the reduction of the price of essential commodities, such as a bag of rice, from ₦60,000 to ₦6,000.
Expressing his concern about decision-making in Abuja, Agbakoba criticised the national assembly for formulating rules that do not align with the needs of the citizens.
He said, “The problem is that the people in Abuja sit and make rules that don’t suit us.”
He called for a proactive approach from Tinubu, urging him to confront and address the challenges emanating from Abuja to ensure the happiness of Nigerians.
The veteran lawyer also delved into the topic of the Nigerian constitution. Agbakoba advocated for the assembly to invite relevant stakeholders to Abuja to engage in deliberations about a new constitution.
He suggested that, upon closer examination, it might be revealed that stakeholders do not fundamentally disagree with the constitution but feel excluded from the decision-making process.
According to Agbakoba, the crux of the issue lies in the concentration of power in Abuja, where decisions are made without sufficient input from diverse perspectives.
“The problem is that the powers in Abuja sit in a caucus and exclude everyone else,” he said.
Agbakoba proposed that if the National Assembly were to adopt his recommendation of involving relevant stakeholders, it could expedite the process of reaching a consensus on a new constitution within a week.
