Since the Senate President, Ahmad Lawan made comments against restructuring, he has come under verbal attacks by some groups or persons calling for his impeachment, AMARACHUKWU EGWUAGHA reports.
Restructuring has become a household lexicon in Nigeria due to ongoing debate of whether or not to change the federal structure largely seen to have concentrated too much powers on the centre.
One of the major resolution of the 2014 National Conference convoked by former President Goodluck Jonathan was to restructure the country.
But conference’s resolutions met with ill-luck as Jonathan did not return to office for a probable implementation of the outcome of the confab.
At various fora, Nigerians have called for the implementation of the confab reports. Insurgency in the country seems to have exacerbated more agitations for restructuring.
Governors, legislators and those in high and low places of governance have cued into the agitation.
Resolutions of SGF
Recently, the Southern Governors Forum also called for restructuring of the country.The Southern Governors Forum in their meeting came up with some resolutions to tackle insecurity in the country which they want President Muhammadu Buhari to look into.
The communique read in part, “Agreed that the progress of the nation requires that urgent and bold steps be taken to restructure the Nigerian federation leading to the evolution of state police, review of revenue allocation formula in favour of the sub-national governments, and creation of other institutions which legitimately advance our commitment to and practice of true federalism.
On the heels of the Southern governors, the PDP Governors Forum also called for restructuring of the country.
Senate President kicks
After the resolutions of the Southern Governors, Senate President, Ahmed Lawan opposed the idea of restructuring especially coming from southern governors.
The Senate President had, while granting interview to State House correspondents after observing the Eid prayers alongside President Muhammadu Buhari and the Speaker of the House of Representatives at the Presidential Villa, Abuja expressed his opposition to the restructuring call.
He said, “the call for secession or the call for restructuring – many are genuine calls – even though I never believe that someone who is calling for secession means well or is a misguided person.
“But I believe that when somebody calls for improving the structure that we have, it is a genuine call.
“But I want to advise here, I believe that as leaders, those of us who were elected must not be at the forefront of calling for this kind of thing because even if you are a governor, you are supposed to be working hard in your state to ensure that this restructuring you are calling for at the federal level, you have done it in your state as well.
“This is because while you may accuse the federal government of whatever it is, you may also be accused of the same thing in your state.
“So, we are supposed to ensure that we have a complete and total way of ensuring that our systems at the federal, state and even local government work, for the people, and that we allow people to participate in governance so that whoever feels that he has something to offer to make Nigeria better does so freely without any hindrance.’’
He was quoted to have called on Nigerians to come together regardless of their religious, ethnic or political persuasions to find lasting solutions to the nation’s challenges.
“We should avoid partisanship; we should avoid regionalism. We are all leaders and we are in this together. The solution must come from us regardless of what level of government we are – whether at the federal, state or even at the local government level,’’ he added.
“I want to take this opportunity also to say that we have diminished the local government system. I think we can attribute some of the security issues to the lack of a functional local government system.
“For me, I think the time has come for us to take up the challenge to ensure that the local government system functions. This is in keeping with looking for ways, for means, for solutions to the security challenges that we face. We must never neglect the local government system.
“I believe that this is one system that has worked even though under a different name. When it was native authority it was very effective, very efficient.
Backlash over Lawan’s comments
Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide in a statement signed by the Secretary General, Okechukwu Isiguzoro described the recent mockery stance of the President of Nigeria’s Senate over the resolutions of southern governors as “an affirmative evidence that Senate President is a rubber stamp of the presidency and a biased umpire and deserves to be impeached without further delay.
“Senate President, Ahmed Lawan’s inflammatory comments on restructuring, had singlehandedly bestowed him as the most “unpopular and rubber stamp” Senate President in the history of the Senate, who stood against collective liberties and yearnings of Nigerians to redress the faulty system and structural imbalance of the country.
“Lawan and his co travellers were caught unawares by the call for change of status quo which North had benefited from the pains and shortchanged people of the south.
“The call for restructuring and ban of open grazing was bitter pills for the North to swallow, and opposition against the southern Governors resolutions reinforced our belief and suspicions that, the North like the manner they destroyed the reports of 2014 Constitutional conference , will leave no stone unturned to frustrate the move to restructure Nigeria, for sinister economic reasons, unhealthy dominance and parochial policies against the south.
The group added that “Senator Ahmed Lawan had squandered the goodwill of Nigerians and ought to relinquish his position as President of the Senate and resign honourably for nepotistic comments capable of creating disaffection amongst Nigerians, since he hasn’t shown remorseful and apologetic rhetoric of his comments.
“Senate should save itself from a moral standpoint to get rid of ineptitude and rubber stamp leadership, and replace Senator Lawan with a vibrant personality to revamp the independence of the Senate from being an appendage of the Presidency”, he said.
This is just as elder statesman and former Governor of Awka Ibom state, Obong Victor Attah has thrown his weight behind the southern governors’ call for restructuring, slamming Senate President, Lawan and Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila for their rebuke of the governors.
Reps react
The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, who also spoke to correspondents, called for a national spirit of oneness, saying that “If truth be told, we all have equal shares in the blame for what’s happening today.
“Whatever challenges we have, we must all come together to make sure that we resolve these issues we’re facing.
“We must imbibe that spirit of oneness, togetherness, unity and love that would take us through this.”
He enjoined Nigerians to always be their brothers’ keepers and avoid acts capable of creating social unrest.
Members of the House of Representatives have descended on the Senate President, Ahmed Lawan for opposing the call of the southern governors for restructuring, saying Lawan through his utterances has shown biases, technically killing the constitutional review committee.
Some members of the House of Representatives who spoke, however insisted on restructuring, saying it was long overdue in Nigeria. The lawmakers included Hon. Sergius Ogun, representing Esan North East/ South East Federal Constituency of Edo State; Hon. Kingsley Chinda, representing Obio/Akpor Federal Constituency of Rivers State and Hon. Bede Eke, representing Abor Mbaise and Ngor Okpala federal constituency of Imo State.
Lawan has technically killed the constitution review committee —Hon. Sergius Ogun
In his submission, Hon Sergius Ogun said “the senate president says the state governors should go and restructure their states, Edo state governor Mr Godwin Obaseki is restructuring our state and he doesn’t need the permission of the president of the country or that of the senate to do that. The president of the senate who is the chairman of the National Assembly has technically killed the constitution review committee as he showed his bias through his verbal deluge”.
I disagree with our Presiding Officers —Hon. Kingsley Chinda
Also speaking on the issue, Hon Kingsley Chinda said, “You cannot continue to do the same thing the same way and expect a different result. Perhaps, they will also tell Nigerians that they are satisfied with the state of the country. As public office holders, we tend to forget that there is life after office and that Nigeria is bigger and more important than any individual or group of citizens.
“I am aware that the Speaker has taken positions in the past Assemblies that support both fiscal and administrative restructuring like State Police and review of revenue sharing formula. He has an inalienable right to shift position but with respect, I disagree with our Presiding Officers and I support an urgent restructuring for a more efficient public service in Nigeria.
I stand by the position of the southern govs forum—Hon. Eke
As for Hon Eke, he said, “I stand by the position of the southern governors forum. It was one meeting where they stood by the pulse of those who elected them. Time has come for the truth to be told at all times. Grazing is a private business just like the trader that owns a shop in Onitsha, Idumota, Ogbomosho or Diobu and therefore, herders can do well to buy land from state governments or individuals to build ranches for their business.
“The country is gradually sliding into food insecurity which is even more dangerous than the bullets from herdsmen, bandits, kidnappers and other criminals. As long as farmers are not allowed to have access to their farms for fear of being attacked, raped and killed, there is no way food is going to be available to Nigerians. Go to the markets in Abuja and other parts of the country, you will understand what I am talking about. Food insecurity has set in.
“I have been an advocate of National dialogue and I’m excited that the southern governors saw it as not only necessary to solve the country’s nagging challenges but a way of calming the nerves of secessionist agitators. Every Nigerian irrespective of tribe and religion has a right to have a say in the affairs of this country which belongs to all of us”.
