APC chieftain, ex-Yoruba student leader back restructuring, condemn separatists
A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Mr Olabode Towoju and former National President, National Association of Yoruba Students, Mr Adamson Ayinde, have backed the call for restructuring of the country, but advised Nigerians championing disintegration in the name of restructuring to desist from such act.
The two personalities bared their minds in Abuja in separate interviews with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).
Towoju expressed support for restructuring “in a legitimate way that will not result to dismemberment of Nigeria.’’
“Restructuring the country will not only assuage the feelings of most Nigerians, it will also help the component states to be productive and stop depending on allocation from the Federal Government,’’ he said.
He urged Nigerians not to misconstrue the word “restructuring” but see it as the best way to unite and strengthen the country.
He tasked Nigerians championing disintegration in the name of restructuring to desist from such act, stressing that Nigerians had more to gain from a united country.
Towoju commended President Muhammadu Buhari’s Independence Day speech on restructuring, saying no leader worth his salt would want the country divided while in power.
In his speech, Buhari had noted that the recent calls for restructuring of the country; though proper in a legitimate debate, had led irresponsible groups to call for dismemberment of the country.
He said that his administration would not allow or heed calls that would be to the disintegration of Nigeria.
On his part, Ayinde, who also supported the call for restructuring of the country, disagreed with those advocating secession.
Ayinde, a former APC chairmanship aspirant in Lagos State, said that restructuring of the country would not lead to disintegration.
“Rather it will help to unite the country just like the United States of America.’’
The former student leader called on the people advocating for breakup of Nigeria to think of the aftermath, adding that a united Nigeria is more profitable than a divided Nigeria.
He called on members of the committee constituted by the APC to look into the restructuring to seek different opinions in order to arrive at an acceptable standard of restructuring the country.
Ayinde said that he shares President Buhari’s opinion that “proper dialogue and constitutional changes should take in a rational manner at the National and State Assemblies.”
He called on Nigerians to embrace dialogue in resolving dispute rather than resorting to violence and undemocratic means.
