#News

Restructuring should not be campaign issue

By Ayodele Fagbohun
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Restructuring which now crept into the nation’s political lexicon cum the strident clamour to restructure the country called “Nigeria” reached crescendo during the fierce suicide struggle of some human rights’ and political activists notably the National Democratic Coalition (NADECO) led by Chief Michael Adekunle Ajasin and Anthony Eronsele Enahoro as a counterpoise to fight the British and fiendish military dictatorship led by Gen. Sani Abacha junta, and in the ultimate restored constitutional government to the country.

Prominent and indefatigable never-say-die men of affairs like Chief Michael Adekunle Ajasin, Anthony Enrosele Enahoro, Abraham Aderigbe Adesanya, Prof. Wole Soyinka, Dr. Beko Ransome Kuti shoned like radiant stars amongst the galaxies in their various militant political outfits went devastatingly for the jugular of barbaric military despotism that held sway almost in perpetuity in the country.

Prof. Wole Soyinka of NALICON, Asiwaju Ahmed Bola Tinubu of NADECO on self exile to escape political martyrdom of Gen. Abacha heinous and maximum rule, embarked upon and sponsored spirited frantic campaign against military rule as a bestial and rodomontade corrupt regime that should be totally condemned and avoided like a vermin in the nation of the comity of enlightened world.

Whilst at home, Chief Ajasin and Abraham Adesanya in their old age alongside their implacable lieutenant Uncle Bola Ige of the famed ‘sidon look’, Lam Adesina branded as “captives” by Gen. Abacha gestapo.

They remorselessly and gallantly vented their spleen against prolonged military imperialism and mobilized the people especially in the South-West making the whole country ungovernable for Gen Abacha and his cohorts.

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These intrepid fighters of our nascent democracy thus rekindled and revived the political concept of “restructuring” as a modus operandi from the labyrinth of self imposed knotty problem of statecraft. The problems have grown out of proportions, due to our leaders’ slipshod and indolent approach to good governance.

Now, with the passage of time, the problems are aggravating and exacerbating to multidimensional proportions staring the nation’s tantalizingly on the face.

The Lilliputians of old, Chief Ayo Adebanjo and others gallivanting all over the place who are bereft of electoral value from ab initio in their various wards or constituencies now latter friends of Alhaji Atiku Abubakar of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) took back seats and as good as benchwarmers in the titanic efforts to salvage the country from iron curtain military dictatorship.

Come to think about it, at no time in the life and times of Chief Obafemi Awolowo and his lieutenants and political think tank, Ajasin, Bola Ige, Lateef Jakande, Bisi Onabanjo and Prof. Ambrosse Alli, was the issue of restructuring featured as campaign issue.

To me, it is a product of intellectual sterility, sheer indolence and fraud to deploy a solemn, ramifying political concept such like restructuring as fleeting and ephemeral electioneering matter.

For instance, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) was in the saddle in power close to decades (1999-2015) of political brigandry and gargantuan waste of the economy on frivolities. There was never an attempt to ignite the debate on restructuring amongst the various ethnic groups over 250 of them comprising the country.

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Out of grand deceit and desperate bid for political office which is equally tinsel and ephemeral, PDP is professing to impress their new landlord in the south-west, Adebanjo and Yinka Odumakin with the bait of restructuring the country which could be renounced soon after the conclusion of the general elections on Saturday.

PDP and its leadership keep mum on the issue in the North, which is supposedly the stronghold of Alhaji Atiku Abubarka. What is really playing out is the full meaning of acronym of Papa Deceive Pickin (PDP). I earnestly appeal to the electorate to reject of PDP as a double faced political outfit not penitent by any jolt of its rank malfeasance and wrongdoing in government, and all out once again to lead the people into blind alley of cul-de-sac. The electorate should beware of the old tricks of PDP. Ignore it and vote massively for Buhari/Osinbajo, the broom!!

According to the submission of the late sage, Chief Obafemi Awolowo, “the concept of restructuring was and is still a constitutional issue, a deliberation of Constituent Assembly (CA) and to address public gathering with a view to educating our people on the issue(s) involved before a new constitution is conducted on new constitution.”

It is imperative therefore that restructuring as a political concept must no longer be tolerated or taken as electioneering campaign issue to bamboozle the unwary electorate (the people) and be stampeded into spurious claims deleterious to the peaceful co-existence of our people.

Restructuring is an all embracing, solemn process and serious national undertaking to re-engineer and strengthen the course of good government, participatory democracy and the rule of law. It is not an issue; not a campaign gimmickry to be reduced to prattle and be toyed with at the expense of the collective and common interests of the people.

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Ayodele Fagbohun writes from Akure

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Restructuring should not be campaign issue

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Restructuring should not be campaign issue

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