Buhari Changes Gear, Claims Readiness for Restructuring
Nigeria’s president, Muhammadu Buhari, by his utterances on Thursday, appears to have changed his position on the issue of restructuring the country’s socio-political and economic landscape.
Buhari was quoted to have said he will follow the lead of the National Assembly to implement the wishes of Nigerians on restructuring.
He was said to have advised federal lawmakers that they had a responsibility to ensure that the constitution responds to the call for a restructured Nigeria following already concluded regional consultations in their ongoing effort to amend the constitution.
This position was surprising as it was unexpected from a president who has so far maintained that there was no need for any restructuring in the country he leads.
Buhari’s new position was contained in his remarks while receiving the national executive of Ijaw National Congress (INC) led by Professor Benjamin Okaba.
Buhari said if the people’s wish for restructuring expressed through the parliament gets to his table, he would not hesitate to approve it.
According to him, “As soon as they finalise the process, necessary action would not be delayed on my part.”
In a statement by presidential spokesman, Garba Shehu, Buhari commended the leadership of the INC on their recent affirmation of belief in a united Nigeria and their support for the fight against insecurity by developing internal control mechanisms.
He implored the leadership of the association to use its influence ‘‘in making sure that we keep working together to keep this country a united, indivisible entity, so that we can tackle our problems together and overcome our challenges together.’’
The president also used the occasion to address some demands of the association on several issues, including environmental degradation, restructuring, creation of states, allocation of operational licenses for marginal oil fields to Ijaw people, and inaguration of the Board of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), among others.
