By Adekola Afolabi & Boluwatife Akinola
The clamour for restructuring in the country is not yet over, Afenifere has declared.
The group said it is very much on course and that the Pan Yoruba Social Cultural Organisation is only studying the current political situation so as not to heat up the polity.
Chief Korede Duyile, the Ondo State chairman of the group emphasised that Afenifere believes that restructuring is achievable and remains the solution to the myriad of challenges confronting the country.
Afenifere and others who are in government now have been in the vanguard of clamour for restructuring for the past years.
Duyile explained that restructuring is the main aspect of their support for or against any political party in the country, adding that their main focus is to restructure the nation.
Afenifere revealed that the country is not jinxed and that the group will continue with the struggle.
“Our main focus is that the country should be restructured because without that, the country will move nowhere. The way the country is configured does not lead itself to development. Look at high current expenditures, how many capital projects are going on.
“There are too many things with the Federal Government. Now that President Tinubu is there, he was once part of us clamouring for it then. Now that he has the opportunity to be there, we can only encourage him to move forward to take steps towards restructuring but, of course we want to be strategic about it.
“We are in a political environment, so we must look for how best to do it without injuring the feelings of others, carrying all other persons along with us. But one way or the other, the current president will look into it and do something about it. But If he does not do something about it we will tell him.
“We have our own way of telling him without going to the public, to remind him of what we have been struggling for, for a long time. We hope he will accede to our request. But I can assure you that we are still fully on restructuring. It is the right thing to do.
“The country is not jinxed, we just have to match our approach with the reality on ground so as to achieve results. Let’s wait and see. God is in charge”, the septuagenarian stressed.
On his part, a Political Scientist at Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba-Akoko, Dr. Bayo Fasunwon, stated that the calls for restructuring stemmed from the previous president’s lopsided appointments, a situation that has now been corrected under the current president.
He noted that Nigerians are still trying to understand President Bola Tinubu’s administration and its intentions.
The don added that Afenifere and others pushed for restructuring, due to the perceived neglect of the Southwest region. However, with a Southwesterner currently in power, the demand for restructuring has gradually diminished.
Fasunwon stated that the concept of restructuring is still evolving, and until there is a nationally accepted definition, it will continue to be a significant topic of discussion.
He mentioned that various definitions of restructuring have emerged, including proposals for a five-year presidential tenure, the establishment of new states and local governments, the implementation of rotational presidency, the consideration of quota systems, and the review of the federal character principle.
“I have always said this, that the problem with restructuring is that people have different definitions of restructuring.
“So, until we are able to come up with what we call restructuring, that is, a nationally accepted definition of restructuring, then restructuring is vague for now,” he added.
While noting that Tinubu is still encumbered with economic issues by now, the political scientists said the issue of restructuring will still come up sooner or later.
