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Former Vice President, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, who also ran for president under the banner of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in 2019, last week, reiterated that Nigeria risks turning into a failed state if it continues to play deaf to the many calls for the restructuring of the country into a true federation. He observed that most of the challenges facing the country are foundational problems which can only be resolved through the collective wisdom of Nigerians through restructuring.
Failing to restructure, therefore, means playing the script of Nigeria’s adversaries, who had predicted the disorderly dissolution of the country. Current ethnic and religious clashes, he noted, are partly caused by the failure to address the root of these problems.
Atiku cautioned that Nigeria is likely to fail in fulfilling its potential as the beacon of light for the Black race if it does not stop operating from the same unitary foundation it has for decades. Nigeria was founded at independence in 1960 as a federation of three, later, four regions. A federation was the only structure on which the founding fathers managed to forge unanimity, a pre-condition to move forward and unite for independence. But a tragic military coup d’etat took place on January 15, 1966 leading to the imposition of a unitary system which the military leaders said was suited to their command structure. Arguing with the military was circumscribed. Between 1966 and 1999 when military dictatorship was apparently in vogue, it seemed as if it were normal to operate Nigeria like a unitary state. In spite of the many dysfunctional effects of a unitary structure, the civilian governments have shown a shocking unwillingness to revert to the original structure as officials obsessed with staying in power shrank from anything that might upset their apple-cart.
Vice President Atiku emphasised that restructuring is the only panacea that would save the country from becoming a failed state. He observed that the issue of restructuring is so fundamental that it would overshadow the personality of leaders. In other words, no matter the gifts and ingenuity of leaders, the structure is bound to hobble them and militate against peace, unity and prosperity of the country until the structure is made right. Issues such as policing ought to be entrusted to the component units of the federation through a structural devolution of powers to enable more effective maintenance of peace and security nationwide.
Restructuring is a political exercise that commands an overwhelming national support. We agree fully with Atiku’s observation. This is not the first time he is making them public. But we should never be weary of stating the truth about our history and about the reality of our existence. While we recognise the vital role of the National Assembly in our democracy, we do not agree with the view of President Muhammadu Buhari that the issue of restructuring should be taken to the National Assembly. It is not a legislative matter per se. It has to do with the structure of the country, the fundamentals of its existence. This is an exercise that can only be executed by a consultative assembly appointed or elected and solidly supported by the government. It is an assignment that demands courage and foresight. The Goodluck Jonathan administration had the courage and presence of mind to convene the National Conference of 2014 which was indeed a roaring success in terms of its far-reaching recommendations and resolutions in addition to its star-studded composition.
The mantle fell on the Buhari administration to move the process forward from where the Jonathan administration left off. It is clearly not good that the present administration is not positively responding to the nationwide clamour for restructuring.
