RESTRUCTURING: Senate President Cautions Governors, Others
De Erudite Communications
May 14, 2021
Following the resolution of the Southern governors meeting on Tuesday, Senate President Ahmad Lawan has cautioned States’ Governors and other elected leaders against joining the agitations for secession or calling for restructuring of the country.
Sources gathered that Lawan, who stated this while fielding questions from State House correspondents in Abuja on Thursday, said he was not against those calling for restructuring but elected officials must not be among those advocating for such calls.
According to him, state governors must ensure that they restructure their respective states first before calling for restructuring at the federal level.
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 is a genuine call.
“But I want to advice 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 what you may accuse the federal government of whatever it is, you may also be accused of the same thing in your state.
He, therefore, called on all elected leaders across the three tiers of government to always avoid primordial sentiments capable of creating division and social discontent among Nigerians.
Lawan also frowned at the way and manner local government system was relegated to the background in the country, saying for the nation to address its security challenges the local government system must be functional and efficient.
The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, who also spoke to the 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.