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By CHUKWUDI NWEJE
Pan Yoruba socio-political organisation, Afenifere has urged the incoming administration of Asiwaju Ahmed Bola Tinubu to run an inclusive government where constituent parts of the country such as states and local government councils have greater control of the resources within their jurisdictions.
The organisation in a statement issued Sunday by its National Publicity Secretary, Jare Ajayi said the dysfunctional nature of the country was the primary reason for hike in banditry, agitations for separatism and lately the tendency by many to wanting to leave the country in what they code-named ‘Japa syndrome’’.
He called on Tinubu to ensure that he hit the ground running so as to put an end to these dysfunctional tendencies that stand as stumbling blocks for the development of any nation.
He said, “Whether you call it restructuring or what have you, the important idea is to enable each component of the country to be able to marshal its resources for the overall benefits of its citizens. Luckily, some inhibiting sections of the 1999 Constitution have been amended to make this possible. The amendments should continue under Tinubu administration until we get to a stage where component parts will have their destinies in their own hands as was the case during the First Republic.
“Tinubu seemed to be conscious of this when he asserted that ‘Our nation’s progress rests on the inclusivity, unity and not leaving any citizen behind and ensuring that every citizen enjoys the dividends of good governance.”
He expressed the hope that the inauguration of Asiwaju Ahmed Bola Tinubu as president will herald a new lease of life in the country.
He urged Tinubu to live up to his promise of dedicating his ‘entire being to the service of our great nation and the African continent.”
He further said, “We are confident that Tinubu will assemble a goals-getting team that will enable him translate his dreams for new and better Nigeria into reality. These dreams include calming the fray nerves among various sections of the country, restoring security and safety of lives and properties, shore up the economy, revamp our collapsed educational system, overhaul the dilapidated infrastructure, create jobs and restore the dashed hopes of youths in the country, setting Nigeria on the path of industrialisation into the comity of most advanced countries in the world in social, economic and political terms within the shortest time possible.”
The organisation advised Tinubu to identify key areas, including insecurity, economy, rekindling a sense of unity and patriotism among Nigerians, revamping agriculture, power, health and infrastructure, which it said deserve urgent and critical attentions.
He urged the incoming administration to cut down on the cost of governance to save resources for critical sectors of the economy.
“Cutting down on the cost of governance without favouritism will make resources available for critical sectors, block cesspools for corruption and make public officials to be more productive.
“Incidentally, both Asiwaju and his Vice, Senator Kashim Shettima are well suited in this respect going by their experiences as former governors, former Senators and equally importantly, their educational backgrounds. Asiwaju studied Accountancy at Chicago State University in America while Senator Shettima studied Agricultural Economics at the University of Maiduguri, Nigeria”, Ajayi said.
He called on separatist groups agitating for Independent states like Biafra, Oduduwa Republic among others to give the Tinubu administration a chance.
He added, “We heard that some youths, earlier on Sunday May 28, eve of the inauguration of Asiwaju Tinubu administration, infiltrated Amuludun Radio station in Moniya, Ibadan to declare a ‘Yoruba Nation’.
“We consider this as inauspicious and ill-timed. We therefore call on all those who are agitating for carving out different countries out of Nigeria to give the new administration of Bola Tinubu a chance. We are confident that he will calm fray nerves by building a country in which everyone would have a sense of belonging.”
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