Yoruba leaders ignore El’Rufai, insist on restructuring

In spite of criticisms by Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai, Yoruba leaders on Thursday insisted that the country must be restructured.

El-Rufai had described those calling for Nigeria’s restructuring as irresponsible, and hypocrites.

But the Yoruba leaders said implementation of the 2014 Confab report would address the tension in the polity

The Yoruba leaders made this demand the same day the Kaduna State governor had argued that some of those calling for restructuring were silent on the issue when they were in power.

El-Rufai’s attack came days after former military president, General Ibrahim Babangida (retd), urged government to restructure the country to help douse the mounting agitations from ethnic groups around the country.

But in their meeting held in Ibadan on Thursday, the Yoruba leaders, under the auspices of Yoruba Leadership and Peace Initiative, insisted on restructuring.
The retreat was convened by Otunba Deji Osibogun and was attended by Yorubas of different political divide.

Some of the leasers at the meeting included Chief Niyi Akintola (SAN); former deputy national chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Bode George; chairman, Afenifere Renewal Group (ARG), Mr. Olawale Oshin; former governor of Ogun State, Otunba Gbenga Daniel; Senator Bode Olajumoke who represented Ondo State between 2007 and 2011, Chief Tokunbo Ajasin, Secretary General, Yoruba Council of Elders (YCE) Dr Kunle Olajide, among several others.

Speaking during the meeting, Chief Bode George urged all the leaders in the zone to ensure they avoid the mistakes of the past. He said they must all work to strengthen the unity of Yoruba race.

Read also: APC: We won’t restructure Nigeria now, agitators are hypocrites, irresponsible

In his contribution at the meeting, Otunba Daniel agreed with some of the earlier speakers and called for the restructuring of the country. According to him, the 2014 confab report should be guarded jealously and implemented.

The convener of the retreat, Otunba Deji Osibogun, said that the “2014 dialogue was acknowledged to have made very far reaching decisions on the required constitutional reforms to effect the desired restructuring”.

Meanwhile, Ohanaeze youths have said that they would not support the restructuring of the country under President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration or any other northerner.

They said they would rather prefer a restructuring exercise that is overseen by an Igbo leader or a leader from the South but not from the North.
Their argument is that any restructuring conducted by the Buhari administration would definitely favour the North and will not end agitations.
The group’s position was stated by its secretary general, Mazi Okwu Nnabuike.

 

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