Protracted delays in taking actions by government on national issues fuel agitation for the restructuring of the country, the Chairman of the Board of Directors of Media Trust Limited, publishers of the Daily Trust titles and Aminiya, Malam Kabiru Yusuf, has said.
He stated this at the opening of the company’s annual dialogue in Abuja on Thursday with a theme ‘Restructuring: Why? How?’
Malam Yusuf noted that while Nigeria was not the only troubled country in the world, it stands out with “no sense of urgency from the government” even when “the natives are permanently restless.”
He quoted a former governor of Ogun State, Chief Segun Osoba, a leading member of the All Progressives Congress, as confirming that the report of the Kaduna State governor, Malam Nasir El-Rufai-led committee on restructuring had been reviewed and approved by the party’s organs.
He lamented that the total silence on the implementation of the report which was meant to put to life the electoral promises of the party to “introduce constitutional changes that will establish what was called true federalism” among others was adding to the disaffections being experienced across the country.”
The committee’s recommendations which were accepted by the APC organs on restructuring included state police, revised formula of revenue sharing and the abolition of the local government tier.
He said the opposition, on the other hand, often “waits for events, issue press statements and repeat promises of different things to come but in the seeming absence of systematic planning and diligent follow-up, small gains are lost and progress is destroyed.”
As another general election looms in the next two years, Malam Yusuf noted that “APC has to decide what to do with this hot potato (restructuring).”
He assured that “we at Daily Trust are making our own contribution to this by putting together this exceptional panel which has got both depth and breadth to offer such insights.”
The chairman concluded by asking, Was Nigeria really ever a great place to be? Can it be made great again?
“I am not asking the panelists to answer, but sure they will raise relevant issues and we will hear words of wisdom.
“We may leave here as better citizens, the question is whether that will translate into a better collective result to build a better Nigeria,” he said.
