WHENEVER the calls for votes heat up, campaign promises are made, but unfortunately electorates in Nigeria always almost wait in vain for the fulfillment of such sweet speeches from vote seeking position seekers. Would restructuring go the same way? In the twilight of the Muhammadu Buhari led administration, the agitations from various ethnic groups for self-determination heightened leading to insecurity, protest as well as responding high profile incarceration. The deliberate coercive responses of the Federal Government had only succeeded in creating more splinter groups and contributed to the further disintegration of the nation.

THE silence of the graveyard in the country now has not prevented the continued decay and rottenness in and of the nation though covered by a handful of sand. Until the voice of reason is heeded, Nigeria’s uniting bolts would continue to loose, and the nuts lost in the muddy waters of leadership’s insincerity. The Afenifere, Ohaneze, PANDEF and other concerned patriotic groups had met and issued a communique calling for the restructuring of the country and enthronement of the 1960 and 1963 constitutions’ true Federalism, and emphasized that without restructuring, the future of Nigeria and democracy is just a mirage.

ALTHOUGH restructuring has been likened to blind men describing the various parts of the elephant, the consensus is that the 1999 constitution was not a document debated, agreed and generally accepted by Nigerians for Nigeria(ns), and therefore needs amendment in the context of equity, fairness, natural justice and best global practices.

THUS, restructuring falls within the spirit of Renan’s submission that: “The wish of nations is, all in all, the sole legitimate criterion, the one to which one must always return. Every federal state is formed based on the sole legitimate criterion of a perceived spirit of willingness to form a nation and live together irrespective of the diversity of tribes and tongues. A true federal state is based on an organised body of laws that recognises, accommodates, and protects the distinct cultures of the constituent members, that make up the nation”.

FURTHERMORE, we submit that the major goal of restructuring in Nigeria transcends (though it includes) governance and or the equitable (or justiciable) allocation of national resources, and insists that Nigeria remains one, indivisible sovereign nation. This becomes imperative given that at amalgamation of the Northern and Southern Protectorates into one colony, the Nigerian Chronicle described it as “a union of names” as opposed to a union of customs, manners, and cultures. Over the years, many have also accepted late Obafemi Awolowo’s description of our nation as being a mere geographical expression. The various constitutional and structural amendments over the years have therefore been an effort to create a nation out of a foisted geographical entity.

IF Renan’s concluding perception that a nation cannot be defined by language, culture, or history, but rather by the presence of a considerable number of people believing that they all belong to one; then THE HOPE boldly insists that restructuring is the only tool needed to make a real nation out of the administrative (in)conveniences designed by the colonists and deified by the military oligarchies. Therefore, it makes sense when Amaechi submitted that “Ohanaeze isn’t demanding for separation, but for restructuring, so that every Nigerian can enjoy the country called Nigeria; so that each unit can develop at its own pace”.

THE HOPE lends its voice to reiterate the demands of the various group’s communique and insistence that “President Bola Tinubu takes an urgent look at the 2014 National Conference Report, concluded by 494 of the country’s leaders, as well as the All Progressives Congress (APC) Report on true federalism”. In the report are accepted conclusions on the issues of Security, Resource Control, State and Local Government creation, Fiscal Federalism, Democracy, and other issues whose ambiguities and autocratic provisions, the militarised 1999 constitution pontificates.

WHILE THE HOPE wishes to advise that President Tinubu should not view the clamour for restructuring as mere political jingoism, it should be seen as the tool for making governance easier and create a more conducive environment for regional and national development.  Many economic, socio-political, environmental, and social problems would be resolved faster and better when the center is not overburdened, as the States and Local Governments lack authorisation to do the needful.

WE had earlier reiterated in our previous editorial, ‘Before the curtain Falls’, that the time to act on restructuring is now. President Goodluck Jonathan, had taken a bold step in that direction despite the political environment in which he operated. Now is President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s turn to exercise political will, and leave a legacy for many Nigerians, since restructuring would indeed create a political structure and environment, where all Nigerians (thus formed) can breathe.