Southern, middle-belt leaders say restructuring will end ethnic agitations

Southern and middle-belt leaders on Saturday restated their demand for Nigeria’s restructuring.

While stating that restructuring is the only solution to current ethnic agitations, the leaders also called for the implementation of the recommendations of the 2014 national conference.

This was contained in a communiqué issued after their meeting – convened by Edwin Clark, Ijaw national leader – in Abuja on Saturday.

In the communiqué read by Yinka Odumakin, a social activist, the leaders said the meeting was aimed at finding viable solutions to the rising agitations “for a fair, just, equitable and balanced restructuring of the federal system”.

He also that though Nigeria’s current federal structure was “unbalanced, over centralized and therefore unacceptable,” the leaders affirmed their loyalty and support for Nigeria as one nation.

“Accordingly, we reaffirm our support for the demand to restructure the federation in line with the recommendations of the 2014 National Conference,” the communiqué read.

“Recommendations to restore the country to the principles of federalism enshrined in the Independence Constitution negotiated by our founding fathers.

“For the federation to function properly in the interest of the constituent parts there should be fundamental devolution of powers and functions to the federating units.

“This is important so that each federating unit can effectively serve the development interests of the people. This is the central essence of a good federation, not the current over-centralisation of powers and functions in the central government.”

The leaders urged the federal government to take urgent steps to ensure the full implementation of the resolutions and recommendations of the 2014 national conference report.

They also called on the government to “immediately review the discriminatory appointments into key offices of government and the public service” in compliance with section 14 of the 1999 constitution.

They further condemned what “the irresponsible and wicked destruction of lives and property” by “herdsmen” in the middle-belt and southern states.

“We call on the federal government to immediately disarm all herdsmen in the country and bring an end to this organised terror,” they said.

“State governments are also called upon to outlaw open grazing in favour of organised ranching.”