Restructuring: Baraje suggests way forward

A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Alhaji Abubakar Kawu Baraje, has called on the federal government to study the various reports on constitutional amendment in the country in order to arrive at a suitable solution to the growing call for restructuring and power devolution in the country.

He also expressed delight over the safe return of President Muhammad Buhari to Nigeria from London where he had gone on medical vacation.

Baraje, who served as National Secretary and Chairman of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) at various times before decamping to the APC along with the PDP group, said if the recommendations of the various constitutional conferences were adopted it would resolve the current challenges that have led to agitation for restructuring.

The APC chieftain who made these observations in a chat with newsmen at the graduation of the 2017 set of students from his Baraje Centre for Arabic and Islamic Studies in Ilorin, Kwara state, said having been a participant at the 2005 conference, he was sure that the solution to the agitation already exists.

According to Baraje, each conference normally adopt from the series of recommendations of previous ones in order to arrive at their own, hence most of the recommendations are always similar.

He said:”Even before I joined politics, I have always believed in the devolution of power but you see the way some of our colleagues in politics have been using it to confuse the people to suit their purpose and that is why we must commend the National Assembly who kept telling us that they need to get clarification and support from their various constituencies on the matter. I spoke with at least nine different senators when the matter came up and individually they told me they needed to talk with their people.”

On the forthcoming local government election in Kwara state, Baraje asked members of the APC to cooperate with the political structure in the state to repeat its winning formula.

He, however, declined questions on his possible gubernatorial ambition, saying it is only the party structure that would make the decision at the right time.

He noted that it would be difficult to stop those agitating for his emergence since such agitation will also eventually assist the system in the state to make the right choice eventually.

On the recent wave of crime, particularly ritual related activities in the state capital, Baraje who lamented the development as a strange occurrence, called on notable leaders and Islamic clerics in the ancient city to rise to the occasion as their progenitors have done in time past to bring the ugly development to an end and avoid the negative verdict of posterity.

Earlier, the chairman, Management Board of the school, Justice Soliu Mohammed (rtd), had expressed delight over the progress being recorded at the school which has no only secured accreditation from the National Board for Arabic and Islamic Studies but has also become an examination centre for the board. Eight students who had completed their Thanawiy (SS3) were presented at the occasion which attracted several dignitaries from across the state.