UK Afenifere blasts Yuguda over comment on restructuring, demands good governance

By Clifford Ejenavi:

Afenifere Group in United Kingdom (UK) and Europe has blasted the former Bauchi State Governor, Mallam Isa Yuguda for saying restructuring will kill Nigeria, adding that he should have remained silent if he doesn't understand the true meaning of restructuring which everyone is clamouring for.

The group also demanded to know the whereabouts of the killers of a 24-year-old Tolulope Arotile, a female combat helicopter pilot with the Nigerian Air Force.

The Group also demanded to know the state of the nation's economy as the Naira worsen to Pounds and Dollar.

Yuguda, in an exclusive interview with The Sun newspaper had said that

restructuring will kill Nigeria, adding the the clamour for the restructuring of Nigeria is rising by the day but warned that there is no need fanning the ember that is capable of dividing the country into regions.

Yuguda also said that the Southeast should be allowed to take a shot at the presidency, maintaining that it will strengthen the country.

According to Yuguda, "No region will be better off in the event of restructuring because of the uniqueness of Nigeria. Lets strive to have patriotic and God fearing leadership that will place Nigeria on the path of sustainable growth and development. From the nation's history, no region will be politically stable to allow for economic growth. We will eventually have tribal region making up Federal Republic of Nigeria"

Reacting to Yuguda's statement, the Secretary of the Afenifere Group in UK and Europe, Engr. Anthony Kayode Ajayi in a statement made available to journalist today in Nigeria, said restructuring is a song on the lips of many Nigerians, saying that it has trended for decades and it is an inter-generational topical issue in Nigeria. 

He said that the persistent call for restructuring takes numerous dimensions particularly outstanding in the dimension of politics. 

"It is no surprise though because the philosophy behind the existence of every state and the control of its resources bothers on politics. Therefore, when there is a damaged cog in the wheel of the politics of the state, it becomes imperative to politically restructure the state", Engr. Ajayi said.

Engr. Ajayi strongly believe that since massive corruption, insecurity, embezzlement of public fund, poor accountability; high cost of governance and the crisis of legitimacy; recurring ethnic, regional and religious clashes; abuse of constitution and constitutionalism, etc have thwarted Nigeria’s socio-economic and political development, there is urgent need for the Nigerian's federal status as presently constituted be restructured along a legal framework that would grant a reasonable measure of autonomy to the states and component parts of the federation as the current poor socioeconomic situation of all Nigerians across the regions does not show sign of significant improvement in citizens’ living standard.

"To ensure peaceful coexistence of Nigerian multi-ethnic nationalities as one peaceful entity called Nigeria and effecting of rapid and competitive development of the different regions of the country among other factors consists the need for restructuring; while elite interest, fear of ethnic domination, political idiosyncrasy among others construe the challenges facing political restructuring in Nigeria.

"The current Nigerian political structure right  from its inception till now has shown symptoms of administratively sick system of government resulting from such issues as the issue of resource control, outcry of marginalization, issue of ethno-tribal and regional discrimination and issue of  ensuring that every citizen irrespective of age, sex, religion, ethnic, linguistic, regional or tribal affiliation is given a sense of belonging to the country. Most importantly, the issue of resource control vis-à-vis political restructuring has become a contentious issue in Nigeria body politic, having been a key problem facing the Nigerian state since the onset of ethnic politics.

"Despite the lopsided nature of the  country’s political structure, Nigeria  has persisted in the practice and has always resolved to the effection of punitive measures to the dysfunctional issues marking the nature of the federalist political structure operational in Nigeria. These measures manifest in form of the different reforms, structural policies, intergovernmental relations, unification programmes etc which had been adopted in the past by different Nigerian government regimes. Irrespective of the practice of imbuing the Nigerian political structure with corrective and curative measures, both scholars and other interested parties have gone to town for donkey’s years to continue their clamour for the restructuring of the federalist political nature of the country with   emphasis highly placed on the issue of intergovernmental relations between the federal and sub-national governments, issue of resource control and allocation, issue of revenue allocation, efficiency and functionality of the constitution, inequality of states and local governments in geopolitical zones, security and marginalization amongst others. 

“There are factors that led to the agitation for restructuring, salient issues raised and the constitutional basis for restructuring. The agitation did not only revolves around resource control, it revolves review of revenue sharing formula, devolution of power, return to regional federal system of government based on six geo-political zones, return to parliamentary system of government, removal of immunity clause from the constitution, creation of state police, role of traditional rulers among others”, Engr. Ajayi stated. 

The Group also frowned at President Muhammadu Buhari refusal to honour the invitation by the National Assembly to explain the security structure of the country, saying that it is shameful to see that the President doesn't obey laws.

The Group therefore urged the APC led-Federal Government to see restructuring as an opportunity to make history and impact positively on the lives of every Nigerians.