In response to the exponentially growing call for the restructuring of the country, the Presidency through Garba Shehu maintained that the PMB and his government will not be pressured into making hasty decisions about Nigeria and that the executive arm of the government will continue to work with the legislature on governance decisions of the country.
With Enoch Adeboye of Redeemed Christian Church of God and Kayode Fayemi, Ekiti State Governor and Chairman of Nigerian Governors Forum the most recent advocates of restructuring, Garba Shehu stated as follows: “The presidency responds to the recurring threats to the corporate existence of the country with factions giving specific timelines for the president to do one thing or another or else, in their language, the nation will break up.
This is to warn that such unpatriotic outbursts are both unhelpful and unwarranted as this government will not succumb to threats and take any decision out of pressure at a time when the nation’s full attention is needed to deal with the security challenges facing it at a time of the Covid-19 health crisis. This administration will not take any decision against the interests of 200 million Nigerians, who are the president’s first responsibility under the constitution, out of fear or threats especially in this hour of a health crisis.
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The president as an elected leader under this constitution will continue to work with patriotic Nigerians, through and in line with the parliamentary processes to finding solutions to structural and other impediments to the growth and wellbeing of the nation and its people.”
Reading the Federal Government’s response creates the understanding that the government is really disconnected to the realities of our time.
It is also important to note that while there are different versions of what restructuring means, it cannot be used as an excuse to delay or reject the unquestionable importance and urgency.
It reads like the behaviour of a very stubborn man who refuses to attend to the deteriorating health of his sick children. While he claims to be interested in their survival and attending to their welfare, the cries for urgent help from the children are being suppressed with the thinking that their ill-health is fake or possibly caused by his enemies. Most regrettably, the sickness is real, old and eating the remaining organs of the children and family!
As the PMB government maintains that it is focused on attending to the challenges of 200 million Nigerians, it is important for the government to realise that central to the survival of Nigeria is the need to restructure the country. While there may be enemies of the government, it is difficult to say that Enoch Adeboye, Governor Fayemi, Vice President Yemi Osibajo and many others including some of our highly non-partisan religious leaders are enemies of the government.
As these people cannot be described as enemies of the government, it means that the demand for restructuring is genuine and valid. Moreover, as this growing calls for restructuring are coming even from quarters that normally might not want to interfere in the polity, it means that their calls should be considered with all seriousness.
It is also important to note that while there are different versions of what restructuring means, it cannot be used as an excuse to delay or reject the unquestionable importance and urgency.
The APC as a party advocated for restructuring before their triumph into power, advancing the argument on the multiplicity of restructuring versions as a reason for the delay or rejection of the demand is not tenable. If they don’t understand, they should implement the version they advocated, or the version generally agreed by Nigerians during the 2014 national conference.
Moreover, irrespective of the variations in the conceptions of what restructuring means, there are common agreements of what it entails. First is that majority of Nigerians have come to the agreement that the current unitary system of government is not working. Second is that majority of Nigerians are asking for devolution of powers from the center to the regions or states and local governments.
Interestingly, all that is required is the review of the exclusive list controlled by the federal government with the aim of moving some items to the concurrent and residual list controlled by the state and local governments.
Third is that Nigerians are asking for a reduction of cost of governance as they believe that it is presently too high and unsustainable. A starting point for this demand can be to agree that only one house of the National Assembly, either the House of Senate or the House of Representatives is needed. Another starting point is the full implementation of the Oronsanye report.
Four, is that Nigerians are asking the current presidential system of governance might not be the best for the country. Many maintain that a devolved structure with a lean center might be a better option for Nigeria.
While there are other components of restructuring, the above four key elements are contained in all the different versions. What is therefore demanded of the PMB and his government is to start a genuine effort in initiating the appropriate steps to achieve the restructuring demands. In one my contributions about three years ago, I cautioned that restructuring is a demand that its time has come and that it will happen irrespective of the stand of the party in power. With the exponential increase in agreements on the urgency and importance even from unexpected quarters, I further implore the PMB government to seize the opportunity and start the process. This will bequeath the PMB government with the greatest legacy. As it is something that will eventually happen irrespective of the position of PMB’s government, it will be to their greatest advantage to jump on the driver’s seat given the fact that it is the voice of the people which is the voice of God!
Ngwu, is an Economist/Associate Professor of Strategy, Risk Management & Corporate Governance, Lagos Business School and a Member, Expert Network, World Economic Forum. E-mail- [email protected],
