The Director General of Voice of Nigeria (VON), Mr. Osita Okechukwu, has lauded President Muhammadu Buhari for supporting the devolution of powers which will arise from the ongoing constitutional amendment exercise.
Okechukwu, a foundation member of All Progressives Congress (APC), said by so doing, the President has denounced the negative narrative that he was averse to restructuring or true federalism in the country.
The VON boss was responding to questions from journalists Sunday in Abuja on his assessment of the President’s Democracy Day speech last Saturday.
He said: “Among the agro-infrastructural revolution in the speech, I singled out Mr. President’s pledge to play critical role in the constitutional amendment exercise and his acknowledgment and recognition of notions of marginalisation among various segments of our population.
“Am impressed with Mr President who is an unsung hero of Agro-Infrastructural Revolution and am also happy that he has nailed doubting Thomases with his uncommon pledge to play a critical role in the devolution of powers via the constitutional amendment exercise as he did eloquently in the 8th National Assembly.
“Mr. President has denounced the negative narrative that he is averse to restructuring or true federalism. He capped it up by saying that Nigerians will be happy with the outcome.”
Okechukwu recalled that Section 121(3) of the Constitution, an amendment which granted financial autonomy to state legislatures and judiciary, is the child of Mr. President.
This, according to Okechukwu, shows that there exists near national consensus for dual-restructuring.
Asked what restructuring got to do with the palpable insecurity challenge in the land, Okechukwu explained that security is achieved via kinetic and civil strategic means.
He also said the civil strategic means comes handy when the chorus over restructuring has taken the center stage, adding that “today, it is akin to medicine that will cure all our ills.”
He expressed optimism that Buhari’s pledge will definitely calm down nerves, especially when some pundits have spewed the negative narrative that he is averse to restructuring.
“Methinks it is good omen that he has openly changed the negative narrative, by saying that his government is not averse to devolution of powers via tconstitutional reform.
“On why does the citizenry does not bestow hope on Mr. President’s pledge on restructuring or true federalism as he shifted the task to the National Assembly, Okechukwu quipped, “Oh my God Almighty save us! Let’s not be so pessimistic or hapless that our perception on Buhari will not truncate our rational sense of reasoning.
“Be careful not fall into the pit of those who are on self denial that Obasanjo and co failed to honour Abiola and Buhari did, which Hafsat Abiola has refuted, “If anyone had told the Abiola Family that it is you who would do us this honour, we would never have believed it. You honoured my dad despite the relationship that existed between you and him.”
