Southern Regions and Middle Beltans challenge Buhari on Restructuring

In the New Year message delivered by President, he said: “I have kept a close watch on the on-going debate about “Restructuring”. No human law or edifice is perfect. Whatever structure we develop must periodically be perfected according to changing circumstances and the country’s socio-economic developments. We Nigerians can be very impatient and want to improve our conditions faster than may be possible considering our resources and capabilities. When all the aggregates of nationwide opinions are considered, my firm view is that our problems are more to do with process than structure”.

We need to remind ourselves that most of the laws as contained in the constitution are based on white man’s policies and principles. We are now the ones wearing the shoes giving to us by the Whites and should not by whatever reason pretends that it does not hurt. Our constitution should be revisited to accommodate the needs of Nigerians.  We cannot deny the fact that we have seen where our problems lie, so let us focus on formulating principles and policies that will address the problems of Nigeria, and it can only be done through restructuring. Anything short of this will not help Nigerians.

Nigeria is bigger than every single citizen and therefore, the interests of Nigeria should be prioritized above anybody’s interest. This is not the time to play ego games or the game of ‘who says what happens’. This is the time to think about growth and development of Nigeria which is also the growth and development of Nigeria citizens. Foundations of Nigeria must be revisited before any positive change can take place. Restructuring is the answer.

Meanwhile, the southern region and the middle belt have reacted to buhari’s statement on restructuring. This Day of January 2, 2018 has the full report.

The Southern and Middle Belt Leaders’ Forum as well as the President General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Dr. John Nwodo, have disagreed with President Muhammadu Buhari’s stance on the restructuring of the country, saying that the only way to go is for the federal government to restructure the federation and devolve powers to the states.

The president had in his New Year broadcast Monday said that the problem with Nigeria was not with its structure but its processes.

Buhari argued that the country had tried many systems of governance in the past and had jettisoned them because they failed. He explained that if things were done properly, the country would perform better.

However, disagreeing with the president’s stance on the thorny issue, the Southern and Middle Belt Leaders’ Forum insisted that restructuring was the only way to go to save Nigeria from imminent collapse.

In a statement signed by Yinka Odumakin for the South-west, Senator Bassey Henshaw for the South-south, Prof. C. Ogbu for the South-east and Mr. Isuwa Dogo for the Middle Belt, the forum insisted that powers must be devolved to the states.

The group said: “We cannot become a productive country under a 1999 Constitution which keeps 68 items on the Exclusive List including mineral resources which abound all over the country but which the states whose governors are constitutionally vested with authority over land cannot touch.

“We need to give authority to the federating units over their resources for self-sustenance and paying all necessary dues to the federation to sustain common services.

“We must devolve more powers and authorities to them to have effective state administrations.

“The federal police has shown it lacks the capacity to deal with crimes in a multi-ethnic society like ours, the imperative of state police has never been more urgent than now.

“Restructuring means nothing else than the above.

“It is a call for the return to a Nigeria that worked under federalism as against the failing state we are becoming under a unitary structure.

 “Nigerians must organize, mobilize and work towards building an inclusive and productive country in 2018 using all democratic and peaceful means.

“It is a year to battle for the soul of the country by the forces of federalism and upholders of a suffocating unitary system. “May victory be on the side of those who seek the progress of Nigeria.”

Continuing, the forum said the president could not resolve Nigeria’s problems by either running away from it or ascribing it to the wrong source.

“Unfortunately that is what we are doing as a country by playing down our crisis of ‘structure’ while on a wild goose chase about ‘processes.

“This is akin to a man going to Benin City while driving towards Benin Republic. The faster he runs the farther he is away from his destination.

“The truth of the matter is that our nationhood crisis has peaked and there are no further opportunities to guarantee opportunities for our citizens no matter the good intentions of leaders or even unrealistic promises packaged to offer them false hope.

“In 1983, when the Shehu Shagari administration was overthrown, its budget for a country of 80 million people was $25 billion. Thirty-five years after, the Buhari government has just proposed a $23 billion budget for about 180 million people!

“The above clearly shows that there is no way out of our systemic crisis except we resume productivity which was our hallmark in the years that we practiced federalism as an entity.

“We have exhausted all possibilities of a rentier and sharing economy and all that is left is unemployment, hunger, gnashing of teeth and conflicts among nationalities over shrinking opportunities,” the forum added.

It welcomed Nigerians into the New Year after a “grueling and harrowing 2017 in which our people went through untold hardship as the crisis of our dysfunctional structure took its worst toll”.

According to the forum, it was a hellish time when “suicide” became the “man of the year” as many citizens found life unworthy of living and jumping into rivers or hanging from ceilings became the order of the day.

It noted that the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) reported a loss of four million jobs in 2017 with millions of those employed working without pay for several months.

The forum also stated that many citizens who fled abroad because there was no hope for them at home were subjected to all manner of degrading and inhuman treatment as the horror tales from Libya where Nigerians were auctioned for $400, turned to sex slaves, and subjected to extreme violence, continue to abound.

“On the home front, life is becoming short, nasty and brutish as death and violence are now common place in the hands of AK 47-wielding herdsmen, armed robbers, kidnappers and enraged spouses.

“It is a time when we should be having national introspection to know where the rain began to beat us, how to dry our clothes, and ensure that we are no longer exposed to rainfall.

“Unfortunately, we are not addressing the cause of our affliction and only trying to rationalize our needless failure, passing the buck and running from the solutions to our problem.

“We are in a period where empty platitudes are being offered our people instead of concrete assurances on reasoned prescriptions,” the forum said.

Nwodo, who also spoke with THISDAY on the phone, said that he was yet to read the president’s speech but with Nigerian’s main source of income from crude oil threatened, government must unleash Nigeria’s potential by devolving powers to the states.

He warned that the world’s demand for oil was receding and that it might even further decline substantially in the next seven years, with implications as the main stay of the nation’s economy.

“Unless we begin to develop alternative sources of revenue our country will cease to exist. The only way to avoid this is to release our potential by devolution of powers.

“Until the government is nearer to the people and the people take their destiny into their hands the country cannot progress.

“We never agreed to be a country where the federal government will be a united policeman for the whole country. We are not running a federation, we are running a unitary government and we cannot escape this,” Nwodo said.

Meanwhile, a former governor of Kaduna State, Balarabe Musa, in his reaction to the president’s stance on restructuring, called for the country’s economic restructuring to ensure the delivery of good governance.

Musa made the call in a phone interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) Monday.

The former Kaduna governor said the problem with Nigeria has always been leadership rather than its structures, explaining that the regional system failed because leaders were pursuing a secessionist agenda.

Although he aligned with the president’s position that the process of governance needs to be improved upon, he faulted the economic system being operated currently.

Musa said the economy was in the hands of the private sector, hence the impoverishment of the masses, and suggested the restructuring of the economy to ensure that the government plays a greater role.

“The economy should be restructured. What we are operating now in which the economy is in private hands cannot help us.

“We should restructure the economy so that government can play a greater role for sustainable development,” he said.

The former governor agreed that saboteurs were behind the current fuel crisis and urged the government to address the situation.

He also called on Buhari to form a government of national unity in the New Year for all-inclusiveness, adding that Nigeria would be better off in 2018 if people subordinated personal interests to the public interest.

In his reaction, the publicity secretary of Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC) in Lagos State, Shakirudeen Olofin, commended the president for restating the government’s commitment to the fight against corruption.

He, however, advised that the president should ensure that all pending corruption cases are speedily resolved to serve as a deterrent to others.

Olofin urged Buhari to be decisive in dealing with the fuel crisis, especially persons suspected to be responsible for the situation.

Culled from This Day

Back on the issue of restructuring, some politicians and activists have also disagreed with President Muhammadu Buhari on the same issue he raised in his New Year broadcast against restructuring. Never the less, Chairman, House of Representatives committee on information, Hon. Abdulrazak Namdas says the National Assembly is committed to ensuring that the voice of Nigerians prevails in the current calls for restructuring. If President Buhari cannot respect and work towards meeting the needs of Nigerians, then he is not worthy to be called a president.

Brought to you by Olive Chinyere Amajuoyi

Powered by Samweld Nditah

Colonial Shoes Doesn’t Fit

Before the colonial masters came into Nigeria and turned things upside down, different regions or tribe were managing their own affairs peacefully. Their coming brought a lot of positive change actually like stopping the killing of twins. Even if that was the only good thing they came along with, I must say that I am happy they came.  

It is normal in this world for one person to influence another, people to influence other people, nation to influence other nations, etc. This influence however, depends on who is being affected. If I admire and am understudying someone, it is my responsibility to copy those qualities in that person that is relevant to me, do away with mine that are irrelevant and ignore those qualities in that person that are not relevant to my purpose. But Nigeria’s case is different. We copied almost their lifestyle and are gradually doing away with our culture. Their most precious culture, which is timeliness, we overlooked. After many years of independence, Nigeria still staggers in the shoes of its colonial masters, their shoes that don’t fit us.

Why are we still struggling in colonial shoes; the shoes they are no longer forcing us to wear? It is true that colonialism left a confused country, civilian unfriendly polity, elite based economy, nepotism fuelled bureaucracy, Victorian era legal systems, and a god-father political system but we are not foolish to continue with all their fragments. We have the will to take the ones relevant to us and do away with the rest. If it is easy for us to copy them, then it should be easier for us to weigh the effects and come to a reasonable conclusion after 57 years of independence.

Postcolonial governments had the opportunity of pulling down the colonial structures and starting afresh but they were busy fighting religious and personal wars, and dragging among themselves who should wear the colonial shoes; the shoes they ought to reexamine, to figure out how it can fit. For instance, they could have redrawn the national maps, questioned and renegotiated the basis for uniting the three tribes that are distinct from each other, etc. They were so eager to step in and enjoy power that they sold their values. This of course gave birth to the bloody civil war, genocides, coups and counter coups that followed independence.

The clock for restructuring is still ticking. It is not too late to fix things. Many things have gone wrong that it will be very difficult at this time to pull down the existing structures and erect a new one but it is better done than not. If this country must survive, something different must take place and that is restructuring.

Written by Olive Chinyere Amajuoyi

Powered by Samweld Nditah

SIX YEARS SINGLE TENURE FOR ELECTIVE OFFICERS - EKWEREMADU

According to Sun Newspaper of December 16 2017, Deputy President of the Senate, Ike Ekweremadu, has advocated six-year single tenure for president, governors, National Assembly and State Assembly Members so as to stop the problem caused by the quest for second term.

Ekweremadu campaigned for the six year tenure during the 3rd Adada Lecture which took place at Nsukka on Friday December 15, 2017; organized by Association of Nsukka Professors with the theme “Restructuring and the Nigeria Youth.” He informed the attendees that countries in South America used single tenure to stabilize their democracy, adding that one of such countries, Mexico, is still practicing single term.

He stressed that Nigeria need to be restructured to enable the regions harness their resources outside oil; stating that the market for crude oil is reducing by the day as countries like Britain and France have come up with laws that will ban the use of diesel and petrol cars by 2030. Moreover, according to him, many countries have started using electric cars already.

Speaking further, Ekweremadu urged youths in the country to support restructuring as it would create employment and guarantee better future. He pointed out that restructuring is facing a lot of challenges among which are:  ethnic and religious sentiment, ignorance and fear of the unknown. He explained that restructuring is not meant to divide Nigeria but to strengthen and re-position the nation.

Moreover, he assured the attendees that restructuring is the only way to restore the lost glory of the country, saying that it would enable states to have enough resources to fund education, security; while ensuring that basic amenities are given to the people. He added that restructuring with devolution of power at the centre would reduce political tension, and also make the centre unattractive.

Meanwhile, we saw this as a welcome development which we enjoin all Nigerians to support. Nigeria has experienced huge loss as a result of political errors and bad governance. To advocate for 6 years single term and restructuring sounds promising. This is the only way to bring about change, as we cannot continue to do the same thing over and over and expect positive change to happen.

Brought to you by Olive Chinyere Amajuoyi

Powered by Samweld Nditah

Restructuring is the Answer

RESTRUCTURING IS THE ANSWER

The foundation of Nigeria has been destroyed. The structure holding Nigeria is messed up. Things have fallen apart and the centre can no longer hold. This is no time for pretence or cover up. A sinking person can only be rescued when his hands are lifted up. We should accept the fact that the polity is already poisoned. It is not the poisoning of the rocks, mountains, rivers, etc. in Nigeria but that of the minds, brain, conscience and hearts of many Nigerians which has altered the laws of the nation.

In his speech published on Premium Times of July 21, 2017, the Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed said that the growing cases of hate speech, disinformation and fake news in the country are being orchestrated by those opposed to the Nigerian government to discredit the government, destabilize the polity and make the country ungovernable. Consequently, the special adviser to president on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina wrote on restructuring of Nigerian minds, published on Vanguard of September 9, 2017. He said, “Some people spend their lifetime expecting thunder storms and hurricane, so they never enjoy showers of blessings. Their addled minds expect negative news, so they never enjoy good tidings. They are the type that swallow poison and then begin to hope that it will kill the person next door. Restructuring, restructuring, that is what such minds need”. He said people throw all sorts of tantrums, like a child whose lollipop is taken away, and attempt to rubbish the news on exit from recession. And that the same people would canvass for a restructuring of the polity. I sincerely agree that the minds of Nigerians need to be restructured but the mind through which the above statement came from needs more of the restructuring because it is blinded by selfishness.  Actually, Nigerian minds are polluted and need to be restructured but it is wrong to direct the lecture to the opposition alone.

People are only agitating for a positive change that this present government cannot guarantee. This is not about hatred for Buhari’s administration. Even if many Nigerians hate him and do not want the country to prosper in his hands, people who understand the times and know the truth know that the present leadership in itself is a leadership of hate and that the present dictator is the architect of hate speeches. Mr. President took hate and bitterness along with him to the throne and should expect nothing but hate. When a wood insect gathers stick, on its own head it carries them. Before he became president, President Muhammadu Buhari never spoke well about former President Goodluck Jonathan. In fact he wished the former president never succeeds. As an elder statesman, he was supposed to encourage and advice the sitting president then. He was supposed to criticize him constructively and educate him on some political/national matters. But no! President Muhammadu Buhari out of hate and bitterness made the following statements during President Goodluck Jonathan’s time: “if the rigging of 2011 repeated itself in 2015, there will be violence in the nation, ala, the dog and the baboon will be soaked in the same blood”. (As far as I know, 2011 election was never rigged) As regards Boko Haram insurgency and call for intervention, reported by Ameh Comrade Godwin on Daily Post of April 3, 2013 President Muhammadu Buhari said again: “There is no way he (Buhari) will be involved in the discussion on how to end the carnage since he was not part of the problem. On the other hand, President Muhammadu Buhari accused the government of President Goodluck Jonathan of killing and destroying houses belonging to Boko Haram members while the Niger Delta Militants get special treatment. This was reported on Point Blank News of June 2, 2013. The above bitter and hate statements shouldn’t be coming from an acclaimed elder statesman who claim to love Nigeria. He is not a leader.

I do not know Former President Goodluck Jonathan personally but the things that have been said about him, his transparent lifestyle and attitude tells me that he is not the kind of person that can provoke somebody especially a person who has been in leadership before him to make such statements. Since the present administrator resumed office, he has been pointing accusing fingers to his predecessor instead of making rights the so called wrongs. According to Olusola Fabiyi on his article of August 14, 2017, it was during President Jonathan’s time that Nigeria made progress on Transparency International’s Annual Corruption perception Index. Nigeria dropped from no 144 to 136 and has remained there till 2017. Why has there not been any improvement in this present administration that has so much accused the past administration for being so corrupt. In his speech, published by Daily Post of September 9, 2017, Presidential Spokesman, Shehu Garba said that the position of the president is that Nigeria does not need restructuring. That what Nigeria need is peace to go about their various businesses. I wonder how this peace will come about because I know that one cannot give what he does not have. The ingredients that make for peace are lacking in our so called leaders. Virtues like sense of responsibility, wisdom, intelligence, sound mind, foresight, etc. that brings about excellence in leadership are all lacking in our leaders. Laws are not being followed. They are only on papers and are usually communicated through mere words by our so called leaders. So what magic is our president going to perform that has not even worked on him? How will he bring about peace in a country where there is no trust; a country where even little children were made to run away from their schools by teachers in order to avoid free medication because they don’t trust the government of the day? There is no sense talking about restoring peace to a nation in chaos without trying something different and better which is restructuring. I wonder what our president is thinking to make such a statement. Does he still have some reasoning faculty left or is he blinded by his pursuit of a secret and selfish mission?

We have a lot to do on restructuring of Nigerian minds that I wonder how possible that can be when those that need it most are pointing accusing fingers elsewhere. What else can we expect from leadership of hate, bitterness and vengeance? It will not be an easy task to restructure Nigeria with such a leader but the point remains that Nigeria needs restructuring. At least of the polity for now, to re-establish trust, then, that of the minds will gradually happen. It is time to try something new. We cannot be doing one thing over and over again and expect a different result. There is need to design a new structure for Nigeria; a structure that will give all citizens equal opportunity to make a difference, a structure that will create room for credible and matured leaders to come into politics, a structure that will wipe out the hyenas and jackals (as Aisha Buhari called them) out of the seats of power. This restructuring requires sweeping the animals out of the seats of power.

If our present circle of leaders claims to love Nigeria so much, then they should prove it by stepping aside to encourage credible professors, lawyers, etc. of good record to take up the governance of Nigeria. It doesn’t matter whether they have got the experience; after all, those with many years leadership experience have failed us over and over again. There is nothing hard about stepping aside for Nigeria to be restructured except for selfish reasons. After all, they don’t wait to blink an eye before flouting the laws of the Almighty God. They kill to win election or retain their position; they embezzle and divert public funds for their own selfish interests, etc. Our so called leaders don’t find it difficult to commit all these crimes so, they should be able to give up the power tussle and accept restructuring. What I am saying is that those occupying the executive and legislative positions in Nigeria and the past Nigeria leaders should do well to withdraw from and stop interfering in Nigerian politics because it is obvious they are possessed by a kind of devil that is now polluting the citizens. If kicking them out is not part of the restructuring, then, it will only be a failed exercise. Nigeria is tired of them and their likes. Nigeria is no one’s personal possession and therefore need to be restructured now.

Written by Olive Chinyere Amajuoyi