Afenifere, the Pan-Yoruba socio-political organization has said that restructuring remains the panacea in solving the multivarious problems bedeviling the country now.
In a communiqué issued at the end of a new held at the house Acting leader, Ayo Adebanjo Ogun, the group insisted that restructuring should be done before the next elections in the country.
The communiqué signed by Jare Ajayi, National Publicity Secretary of Afenifere and made available to newsmen said “the meeting took notice of President Muhammadu Buhari’s address at the United Nations, especially where he called for the reform of the world body and his recommendation of dialogue to resolve Palestinian/Israeli issues. Afenifere enjoins the President to key into a restructuring that it (Afenifere) has been advocating as Restructuring is similar to the Reform that the President wants to see at the UN. In the same vein, the Dialogue our President recommended for Israel and Palestine is not different from the meeting with ethnic nationalities and other stakeholders in Nigeria that we have been advocating for. With the President stating his positions on these issues on the global arena, it is hoped that he would give a nod for them to be immediately effected in Nigeria”
The meeting presided over by Adebanjo with participants from all the states in the South West as well as Kwara and Kogi States, Afenifere noted with serious concern the security problems that are festering in the country.
“The meeting, therefore, for the umpteenth time, called on the Federal Government and security agencies to buckle up and be more decisive in the way they tackle security issues that have made living in Nigeria painful, short and brutish.
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It also called on the government and security agencies to stop the kid glove treatment with which terrorists and kidnappers are being handled.
According to the group, we believe that terrorism and related vices including kidnapping are on the increase in part because of the double standard being played by the government and security agencies on this matter.
It further said that it strongly stands by the Southern Governors in their resolution on anti-grazing laws, on Value Added Tax and on a person of Southern extraction becoming the President of Nigeria in 2023.
The Afenifere also said that “we note with delight, the court judgment that empowers the states to collect VAT. We urge states governments to further explore more areas to deepen democracy and enhance the frontier of true federalism in Nigeria.
“We commend the steps taken by governors of the West on the establishment of security networks like Amotekun and that of the South East on Ebube Agu. We urge the national authorities to let these security networks be transformed into states police forces. We strongly believe that doing so will arrest the pace at which Nigeria is fast descending into a state of anomie.
“In the meantime, every community must be at alert to realize that they must defend themselves from bandits who seem to have declared war on Nigeria.
Among those in attendance were the Deputy Leader, Oba Oladipo Olaitan, the Secretary-General, CSola Ebiseni, Cornelius Adebayo, Supo Sonibare, Abagun Kole Omololu,Leke Mabinuori, Senator Kofoworola Bucknor-Akerele, Senator Adegbenga Kaka, Gbola Adetunji, Babatunde Oduyoye, Ebun Sonaiya, Jare Ajayi, Akin Onigbinde, David Atteh, Femi Monimikan, Hon Dauda Adam, Lanre Anjolaiya and Toyin Falade among others.
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