Anyaoku, Nwodo say restructuring must be ‘prerequisite for voting’ in 2019

Emeka Anyaoku, former secretary-general of the Commonwealth, John Nwodo, president-general, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, and Ayo Adebanjo, Afenifere leader, on Wednesday renewed the call for the restructuring of Nigeria.

They made the call in Lagos at the 10th memorial symposium of Abraham Adesanya, late NADECO chieftain.

Anyaoku described late Adesanya as a symbol of authentic combination of loyalty to one’s ethnic group and country.

He said Adesanya promoted and protected the interest of the Yoruba, democracy and Nigeria as a whole.

“He was devoted to the fight for democracy in Nigeria and he incurred the wrath of Abacha with an attempted assassination on his life in 1996,” he said.

“He was a political activist, a patriot and the defender of the truth and public interest.”

Anyaoku, while speaking on the topic ‘Leadership and the Future of Nigeria’, said the country should be restructured into eight federating units to achieve an enduring political stability and socio-economic development.

According to him, there is the need to go back to the 1960 and 1963 constitutional arrangement to pave the way for national rebirth.

“Nigeria’s retrogression started during the military intervention in 1966. They dismantled the foundation of the country’s structure, stability and economic progress,” he said.

“The civilians also contributed to the problems with their brand of politics which promoted increased divisiveness and corruption.

“To solve these problems, we need to restructure into eight federating units: the six geo-political zones, create a Mid-West region and create a Middle belt federating unit.

“It would now be left for each unit to decide if and when to create zones if there is a cry of marginalisation.

“We need to avoid national disaster by agreeing to adopt a restructured true federalism. Therefore, I urge Nigerians to only regard restructuring as prerequisite for voting for any political party or their candidates.”

Nwodo, who was a panelist, said leadership failure contributed to the current challenges experienced in the country.

He said Nigeria requires non-tribal, patriotic and fearless leaders like late Adesanya to progress.

“Pa Adesanya saw himself as a Yoruba and a true Nigerian. He recognised the problems in the country and spoke to the problems without being tribalistic. We need such leaders today,” he said.

“I urge Nigerians to vote wisely in 2019. Do not vote anybody who does not recognise that we need a restructured nation to get out of our challenges.”

In his remarks, Ayo Adebanjo described the late Adesanya as a great leader who continued the principles for which progressive government was made.

He urged politicians to emulate the footsteps of Adesanya by propagating his principles of good governance, true federalism and restructuring to develop the country.

Zamani Lekwot, a former military administrator of Rivers state, said restructuring was the solution as the current structure could not cope with current realities.

“Some Nigerians are afraid of the word restructuring, but they can table these fear and we discuss it for better understanding so that the present structure does not collapse on all of us,” he said.