The strong agitation for restructuring Nigeria gets messier with threats that if it is not allowed, people from southern region of the country may call the bluff of the 2019 general elections.
Southern part of the country comprises the south west, south east and south/south states.
But with growing momentum of the call for true federalism, strong indications are that, with sympathy from minority ethnic states in the northern region, the next general polls could be a hoax.
Top leaders from various parts of the country with the former vice president Atiku Abubakar sounding loud have cautioned that restructuring of the country was the best part to thread now as well as the veritable antidote to even and sustainable development.
They are also of the view that anything contrary may result to failure of once a united country.
Recall that in restating advocacy for restructuring the federation, former vice -president and a chieftain of the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar had argued, that states that were not financially viable should be collapsed into those that were viable.
“There is no doubt that many of our states are not viable, and were not viable from the start once you take away the federation allocations from Abuja. We have to find creative ways to make them viable in a changed federal system.” said Atiku
According to the former vice-president, the restructuring, involves changes to the allocation of powers, responsibilities and resources among the states or zones and between them and the federal government.
“We can constitute a body of non-partisan experts to suggest other ideas. But in all, we must devolve more powers and resources from the federal government and de-emphasize federal allocations as the source of sustenance of states. We need to start producing again and collecting taxes to run our governments in a more sustainable way with greater transparency and accountability” he said.
Joined in the fray for restructuring Nigeria, is a close ally of late Chief Obafemi Awolowo and second republic senator, Chief Ayo Adebanjowho spoke at a recent conference to mark the 50th anniversary of the declaration of Biafra, warning that the country may collapse unless it is restructured.
Pa Adebanjo who maintained that if Nigeria was not restructure now will collapse, explained further that those opposed to the call were the real enemies of the country.
He stated that it was the military which broke into Nigeria politics and governance that caused the problems of the country.
“If Nigeria is not restructured now, it will collapse”
“Our problem remains the military, “The military did not allow us to settle our problems” he said, pointing that the pockets of self agitation and determination, for instance like Biafra, were not about separation but about living together on agreed terms.
Described as the rave of the
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