Restructuring has become the new joker for political manipulation of Nigerian electorates. The word “Restructuring” now dominant the agenda of Nigerian politics. Both All Progressive Congress (APC) and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) are attempting to address this issue that win broad support, 2011 election demonstrate how unsettled public opinion is on this issue
Months to another general election, the two major political parties has started with there political score card “Restructuring”
On May 17, 2021 PDP Governors demanded for devolution of powers and restructuring
“It is time to restructure Nigeria in order to ensure equitable distribution of resources” Gov. El-Rufai of Kaduna State (APC)
“I have heard some of our political leaders jostling around and saying they want to become the president of Nigeria in 2023. I think what we need at this stage is to secure our people and restructure Nigeria. It does not matter who is the president in Abuja. In a restructured Nigeria, every corner of the country will feel the impact of the government. That is what we need” Gov. Seyi Makinde (PDP)
“I belong to the restructuring school of thought. Thankfully, I am a member of the constitution review committee. What we need to do is to restructure. There is something in the constitution called “exclusive list”. We need to get rid of that. Once we get rid of exclusive list, we are home and dry. What it means is that every state would then have to develop at its own pace and then we will begin to hold our leaders accountable. We say we operate federalism, of course we don’t” Senator Teslim Folarin (APC)
It is a fact of the history that People’s Democratic Party (PDP) was in power for sixteen years, they did not review the constitution neither restructure the country, but organized a Confab in 2014, the purpose of the Confab is to tackle the restructuring agenda and clamouring of the people. Why the Confab not implemented?
Unfortunately, the ruling All Progressive Party (APC) that came into power with the song of true federalism is doing nothing. During their manifestos they called for the devolution of power and true federalism “Restructuring” on getting to power nothing was done. Months to 2019 general election APC put together El-Rufai committee on true federalism. The committee wrote their report and recommendations after they visited all the states, the purpose of it is that, APC will restructure immediately after winning 2019 election.
“I am part of the presidency because the President is our President. I can tell you, all this noise about Restructuring, we APC put devolution of power, true federalism in our manifesto and we have moved far from there to where a committee was set up, headed by the governor of Kaduna state, Nasir El-Rufai”
“That committee has submitted its report, that report has been presented to us in the caucus and the President was there. The president endorsed the outcome. I want Nigerians to please, give us time. I hope and pray that at the right time, the government or the party would send that report to National Assembly for debate” Chief Olusegun Osoba 2019
Like 2014 Confab nothing has been done to implement the report of the committee
Among the Commonwealth countries, Nigeria is the only Federal state: that practices Presidential system instead of parliamentary system of government, the component States have no State Police etc. What we still need to define restructuring?
The broom and the umbrella stood side by side and there is no different between the two on restructuring. We need actions to champion true federalism/restructuring not yearly political score card
Alabi Quadri Adetunji
alabiquadri13@gmail.com
