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Prominent leaders including the acting leader of Yoruba socio-political organisation,Afenifere, Pa Ayo Adebanjo and former Chairman, Editorial Board of The Guardian, Prof. G.G Darah, have said only true federalism and restructuring can save Nigeria from all its current challenges.
The leaders stated this at a seminar titled: “Strategies and Tactics for the Actualisation of a Restructured Nigerian Federation,” organised by The Yoruba Leadership and Peace Initiative (TYLPI), in Ibadan, Oyo State, the state capital.
Other speakers at the seminar include founding member of defunct Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), Dr. Usman Bugaje; a scholar and researcher, Dr. Akin Fapohunda among others.
They said there was need for Nigerians to re-double their effort towards the agitation for restructuring, saying those in power are not willing to let go of the present status quo.
They said if there is no strong political will to restructure the existing system, Nigeria stands no chance of overcoming its present challenges.
Chairman of the occasion, Adebanjo, said the problem with the country is not about lack of ideas or absence of intellectualism, but that immediately those who have been advocating restructuring found their way into government, they usually desert the agitation.
He said those advocating restructuring and change of the existing constitution must be ready to go to the streets and present their demands.
Darah, in his address, which he delivered virtually, said restructuring is aimed at restoring the destruction of Nigeria by the military.
According to him, all the debates and renewed agitations for restructuring were fired by the 2014 national conference, where notable leaders agreed that return of Nigeria to true federalism is the only way to salvage the country.
He insisted that solution to Nigeria’s problems would require a new constitution, stressing that all what the various socio-political and cultural groups, civil society or self-determination organisations were asking for is not the break up or dismemberment of Nigeria.
President of TYLPI, Mr. Segun Ahmadu, said the Initiative would re-strategise its tactics to achieve restructuring of the country. Others who spoke include Fapohunda and Bugaje.
Fapohund and Bugaje, in their presentation, said it is right time the existing regions, especially the Yoruba, go ahead and provide an alternative constitution to the existing one and also summon the courage to call for a referendum where it will compare it side by side with the existing one.
Bugaje also harped on the need to take urgent step to redeem the country. He said that with the way Nigeria is heading, collective actions are needed to save it.