Politics

Afenifere, Ohaneze give Atiku the thumbs up for comment on restructuring

Published

8 years ago

June 1, 2016

Atiku teams up with Tinubu, says 'Oyegun you erred'

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar seems to have finally struck a chord with some regional socio-cultural groups with his call for the restructuring of the country’s federalism, which he said has been the major culprit in the nation’s stunted development, as the pan-Yoruba group, Afenifere and the apex Igbo group, Ohaneze Ndigbo have backed his call.

Atiku, who faulted the over concentration of power and resources at the centre, spoke at a the launch of a book, We are all Baifrans written by Chido Onumah in Abuja,

Aligning with Atiku’s call, Afenifere and Ohanaeze Ndigbo called on the President Muhammadu Buhari-led Federal Government to adopt true federalism, adding that it was the only way solutions to the country’s problems can easily be found.

Afenifere’s scribe, Mr. Sehinde Arogbofa, while speaking for the group, said there was the need for the President to implement the report of the 2014 confab which, according to him, contains the solutions to the challenges facing the nation.

He said: “The late Papa Obafemi Awolowo said that we have to restructure the country but as we are now, we don’t have a true federalism to favour any geographical region.

“In a true federal structure, every component that makes up the federation would be allowed to exist at its own pace, which is not what is happening now. We have always preached what would make every component to be free, proud, develop and be ready to innovate.”

The Afenifere scribe lamented President Buhari’s attitude to the report of the 2014 National Conference, adding that he has not shown any signal that he would implement the confab report.

To Chief Ayo Adebanjo, a chieftain of Afenifere, Atiku’s call for the restructuring of the federation is a welcome development.

Adebanjo said: “Atiku’s view is a welcoming view. He has been consistent on the call for the need for the country to restructure. He wrote an opinion article during the national confab, stating that there was the need for the restructuring of the country.”

The President-General, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Chief Enwo Igariwey, also re-echoed Afenifere’s sentiments, noting that the Ohanaeze and other delegates from the South-East had canvassed for the restructuring of the country during the last national constitutional conference organised by former President Goodluck Jonathan.

According to Igariwey, restructuring was in the best interest of the country.

“That (restructuring) was our position during the last national constitutional conference. We have been calling for restructuring; we believe it is in the best interest of the country”.

RipplesNigeria …without borders, without fears

Join the conversation

Opinions

Support Ripples Nigeria, hold up solutions journalism

Balanced, fearless journalism driven by data comes at huge financial costs.

As a media platform, we hold leadership accountable and will not trade the right to press freedom and free speech for a piece of cake.

If you like what we do, and are ready to uphold solutions journalism, kindly donate to the Ripples Nigeria cause.

Your support would help to ensure that citizens and institutions continue to have free access to credible and reliable information for societal development.

Donate Now