By Kingston Obung
Calabar
Southern Senators under the aegis of Southern Senators’ Forum (SSF) have insisted that the only way hydra-headed challenges facing the nation could be frontally tackled was through restructuring and implementation of the recommendations of the 2014 National Conference.
The senators, who spoke in Calabar, weekend, at the end of their 3-day retreat which had the theme “National Unity and Restructuring,” insisted that the country’s unity would not be compromised but that for justice, equity and fairness to prevail, restructuring and implementation of the 2014 confab reports have become inevitable.
In a communiqué read by the chairman of the forum, Hope, who was surrounded by representatives of senators from South West, South East and South South, explained that restructuring does not translate to break-up of the country.
They charged President Muhammadu Buhari to “convoke a meeting of the Assembly leadership, governors and the leadership of state Houses of Assembly to a close door brainstorming session to commence the implementation of the recommendations of the 2014 national conference.”
The communiqué read in part: “Nigeria and Nigerians have come a long way down the length of history but it has become imperative and in the interest of all to live together as one united country, that is to say under one indivisible and indissoluble country with justice, equity and fairness.
“While the unity of the country is not and cannot be compromised under any circumstance, it has become apparent that the foundation upon which the Nigerian nation was raised at independence in 1960 has been eroded and that there is need to return to the original dream of true
federalism by our founding fathers. It was a product of negotiations, compromise and accommodation.
Resource persons and contributors included the Senate President, Bukola Saraki, Governors Abubakar Badaru of Jigawa, Seriake Dickson of Bayelsa, Ben Ayade of Cross River, Bishop Mathew Hassan Kukah and
