IPOB, agitations to be solved through restructuring – Atiku

Former Vice President, and presidential aspirant of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Atiku Abubakar says, he will ensure restructuring as a way of solving the issues of Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and other agitations in the country.

Atiku was in Umuahia Friday, to solicit the support of the PDP members ahead of the primaries asserting that the problem of agitations in the country arose because of the lopsided nature of the federation which favours one party or section of the country against the others.

Addressing journalists after the closed door meeting with the party executive at the party’s secretariat in Umuahia, Atiku expressed his belief that when the country is restructured and more resources and power given to the component units of the country, as well as when power is devolved and self-determination allowed to the component units, all will be good in the country and agitations will end.

The PDP presidential aspirant said he has been an advocate of restructuring long before now, stating that it is the solution to pockets of agitation and IPOB issue in particular, pointing out that IPOB was a child of disequilibrium in the polity.

“When you restructure this country and you give more resources to empower the component units of this country you will not have the problem of IPOB. IPOB is looking for self determination and when you devolve more powers and resources that is self determination.”

He noted that restructuring was the way to go to keep the country intact and on the path of progress.

“The North has already announced that restructuring is acceptable to them. So it’s a question of the northern leaders and southern leaders meeting together to agree on the issues”, he said.

On the thorny issue of security, the former Atiku said, “Security is one of the fundamental challenges of the country. Again, I have been an advocate of either local or community policing to deal with local issues. We have one single police.

I do not know of any country that practices a federation and have this kind of policing, a centralized, one single police, I don’t know.”

The former Vice President was accompanied on the visit by the former Governor of Ogun State, Gbenga Daniel and Okwesileze Nwodo, former Governor of old Enugu State, and Senator Abdul Ningi among other stakeholders.

Quote:
“The North has already announced that restructuring is acceptable to them. So it’s a question of the northern leaders and southern leaders meeting together to agree on the issues.” – Alhaji Atiku Abubakar