The Northern Elders Forum NEF has called out President Buhari, stating that the North region of the Giant of Africa has paid a huge price over an alleged incompetence of President Buhari’s administration.
The Director of Publicity and Advocacy of the forum, Dr Hakeem Baba-Ahmed said this in a recent interview with Daily Trust, also claiming that calls for restructuring has been abused and now used as a political weapon.
Baba-Ahmed, who is a retired Federal Permanent Secretary said the calls for restructuring is now being used as a shorthand for the need to address the inadequacies, limitations and weakness of the Nigerian federal system. Pointing out some issues with the Nigerian system, Baba-Ahmed stated that there is too much emphasis on the centre.
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“I think restructuring has been abused and used as a political weapon. It has been used as a shorthand for the need to address the inadequacies, limitations, and weaknesses of the Nigerian federal system. One of the wrong things about our federal system is that we put too much emphasis on the centre. The second worst thing is that it is governed by a constitution that makes changes very difficult.”
“So, those who throw this restructuring around are doing so largely because they see it as a means not necessarily to achieve a major change, and there are those who believe that it should achieve short-term political goals like 2023. So, restructuring in simple terms is a genuine, popular and legitimate demand by a large number of Nigerians to address the way the federation exists. Removed from the current context where it is being used as a means to settle scores against groups or to achieve political aims, restructuring is a very good thing for Nigeria, and it must happen before 2023.”
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“In NEF, we accept that it must be about the Nigerian federation; it must be an inclusive process that captures the views and opinions of most parts of the country. What we don’t accept is the idea that people can use the argument for restructuring to gain an advantage over certain sections, or to fight an administration that will fight back, and in the process will lose the value of creating an atmosphere that allows us to restructure. You can restructure Nigeria, but if it is the same political process, the same politicians, then the country is going to continue to degenerate. Why do we continue to produce low-level, low-quality leadership?”.
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