Legal Tussle: Wole Olanipekun Reveals Near-Physical Clash With Obasanjo Over Constitutional Amendment

Legal Tussle: Wole Olanipekun Reveals Near-Physical Clash With Obasanjo Over Constitutional Amendment

A fiery revelation by former NBA President and SAN, Wole Olanipekun, sheds light on a heated encounter with ex-President Obasanjo…CONTINUE READING

Olanipekun asserted that Obasanjo came close to physically assaulting him when he proposed amending Nigeria’s constitution during Obasanjo’s presidency. This revelation emerged during Olanipekun’s address at the 32nd and 33rd convocation lecture of Olabisi Onabanjo University (OOU) in Ogun State, where he strongly criticized the 1999 constitution, denouncing it as “fake” and insufficient for addressing the nation’s challenges.

Advocating for a comprehensive overhaul of the constitution to better address the country’s needs, Olanipekun recounted that in 2002, during a meeting with President Obasanjo, his suggestion to initiate a constitutional amendment process not only faced rejection but also almost resulted in a physical altercation, with Obasanjo nearly resorting to physical aggression.

Olanipekun attributed the mass departure of young Nigerians abroad to various factors, including insecurity, an inadequate constitution, a struggling economy, and flawed federalism.

Emphasizing the necessity for a more humane constitution, Olanipekun, a lawyer, acknowledged the discrepancy between identifying the constitution as “fake” and practicing it.

He stressed the need for legal professionals to apply the law as it exists while continually advocating for constitutional amendments and a complete overhaul.

Olanipekun urged current authorities, including President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, to prioritize restructuring the country, warning that failure to do so might result in a continued diaspora of Nigerian youth.