Seriake Dickson, governor of
Bayelsa state, says a statement credited to President Muhammadu Buhari on
restructuring is a threat to the country’s stability.
When he hosted Niger Delta elders
at the presidential villa in Abuja two weeks back, the president said those
agitating for restructuring have ulterior motive.
“You mentioned something, which
is topical these days; the restructuring of Nigeria. Every group asking for
restructuring has got its own agenda and I hope it can be accommodated by the
constitution,” he had said.
But Dickson disagreed with the
president, wondering why he could make such utterance when people were opposed
to the current structure in the country.
According to Fidelis Soriwei,
media aide to Dickson, the governor said this while delivering a lecture with
the theme ‘Restructuring and the search for a productive Nigeria’ at the
Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife, Osun state, on Thiursday.
“When everybody in this country
is talking about the need to restructure this country, our President, Muhammadu
Buhari, made a statement that is not only wrong, but it is also faulty that
cannot stand the test of time,” he said.
“That statement is a threat to
the continued stability and prosperity and development of our country, when he
dismissed outright, the notion of restructuring. And he didn’t stop there, he
went ahead to say that those who are in support of restructuring are doing so
for parochial agenda. Mr. President, you are wrong.
“In fact the reverse is the case.
The majority of Nigerians from the north, south, east, west and middle belt,
who are making a case for restructuring are indeed the patriots of Nigeria. We
want a Nigeria that works with equal citizenship. A Nigeria for the many as
well as for the few; a Nigeria that we will be proud to call home any day, that
we can proudly pledge allegiance to.”
The governor recommended that
country change the presidential system of government because “it is expensive”.
“The system is expensive, we
can’t have a productive Nigeria with the way it is structured. The government
has abandoned its core responsibilities of defence and security. The
constitutional issue can’t deliver a safe Nigeria,” he said.
“There’s need to devolve policing
powers to the people. But I’m not saying states should have police. Our system
of settling disputes is faulty.
“Why should a land dispute in
communities be dragged to the supreme court? I know many things about access to
justice. Instead of justice getting stronger, you see ‘Babalawos’ getting
stronger. The distortion of our federal structure has destroyed Nigeria.”
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