Renowned legal luminary and Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Chief Wole Olanipekun (SAN), has renewed calls for a national referendum as the most democratic means for Nigerians to decide crucial issues affecting the country’s future.
Speaking on the state of the nation, Olanipekun emphasized that the sovereignty of Nigeria belongs to the people, citing Section 14(2)(a) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. He argued that continued constitutional amendments would not address the nation’s fundamental structural challenges, stressing the need for an entirely new, people-driven constitution.
The former President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) and Pro-Chancellor of Ajayi Crowther University insisted that the current federal system requires restructuring to empower states and strengthen grassroots governance. According to him, the present over-centralized arrangement stifles progress and innovation across the federating units.
“The Constitution we operate today was handed down by the military. True democracy demands that the people must have the final say through a referendum. Sovereignty resides with the people,” he stated.
Olanipekun also challenged the National Assembly to take decisive steps towards initiating a process that would lead to a nationwide referendum. He said such a move would not only redefine Nigeria’s political direction but also strengthen the bond of unity among its diverse population.
He expressed optimism that with the right political will and people-oriented reforms, Nigeria could achieve a renewed constitutional order by 2031.
“I now expect the National Assembly to do the needful so that by 2031, we will get to the Greenland,” Olanipekun added.
The Senior Advocate’s remarks have further intensified public discourse on the need for a holistic restructuring of the Nigerian federation, with many stakeholders echoing his call for a referendum as the path toward lasting national stability and development.
