Restructuring: Discussions must be free of threat, intimidation- ACF

.Says restructuring a complex, big, diverse country as Nigeria a serious business that must take account of views of all citizens

. ‘Let NASS incorporate 2014 Confab report in constitution review for sake of peace sake’ –

The Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) has declared that all discussions on the need to restructure Nigeria must be free of threats, intimidation or blackmail from any group or individual.

The ACF maintained that a genuine restructuring must be just, fair and equitable to all.

The Council, in a statement on Wednesday by its spokesperson, Muhammadu Ibrahim Biu, said it has observed with regret that in most cases, the discussions are taking place without regard to the country’s present democratic structure, as the issues are in some cases presented as “demands” by one group or the other.

It noted with regrets that in most cases, the discussions on the restructuring of the country are followed up by some ultimatum to the government to accept or face deadly consequences.

The statement reads: “Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) wish to lend its voice to the debate as to whether or not to restructure the Federation of Nigeria.

“However, ACF has observed with regret that in most cases, the discussions are taking place without regard to our present democratic structure, as the issues are in some cases presented as “demands” by one group or the other.

“Unfortunately, in most cases they are followed up by some ultimatum to the government to accept or face deadly consequences.

“It should be clear to all the agitators that restructuring a complex, big and diverse country as Nigeria is a serious business that must take account of the views of all its citizens, and not just of those that shout the loudest.

“More so, such discussions must be free of threats, intimidation or blackmail from any group or individual. A genuine restructuring must therefore be just, fair and equitable to all.

“Furthermore, it must strengthen our democracy, unity, peace and development of the Nigerian components. ACF therefore calls for a due process through our present democratic structures rather than just crass agitation, if we are to achieve ‘true’ federalism”.

However, reacting to the ACF position, former Edo State governor and Professor of law, Prof. Oserheimen Osunbor, said the issue of restructuring is more complex than most people think and that it means different things to different people and so care must be taken to avoid crisis in the process.

He argued that though the system of government in Nigeria like many other countries is not perfect, that there is a need for people to be careful how they go about their agitation for restructuring the system.

He said: “If you talk to five people, they will give you a different interpretation of restructuring, also I know that no human system is perfect, so even in Nigeria, the system of governance and the organisation is not perfect because it is man-made, but it is subject to continuous improvement through a process of constitutional amendment or constitution review.

“Even in the United State of America now in the aftermath of the last general election, people are looking at the fairness of their electoral system, in a situation where somebody has a majority of over two million yet she lost the election in a democracy, so they are beginning to question it and it has gained more momentum.

“Of course there is also the issue of the Brexit, when the British people had decided that they no longer want to be part of European Union, even within Britain, Scotland is agitating. They have been agitating for decades that they want to break away. In Spain, it is the same thing, so the situation and agitation in Nigeria is not different, but at the end of the day it has to be done through civilized method and through a process of constitution review through lofty means.

“No doubt there has been countries where there has been revolution, they take to arms, they take to warfare, they take to extra-legal or extra constitutional means, but that always come at a big price, so I will not advocate that for Nigeria and that leaves us with constitutional means and that will involve discussing among the people. We cannot be tired of talking, it is better to jaw-jaw than to war, “he said.

Also speaking on the restructuring controversy, human right advocate and lawyer, Chief Mike Ozekhome (SAN), noted that restructuring the country is a thing that is long overdue in order to avoid a violent balkanisation of the system.

He said: “Restructuring is not only necessary, it is actually overdue otherwise Nigeria may go into violent balkanisation. Where is Yugoslavia today, where is USSR today? India, Pakistan and Afghanistan, they were once one countries. Where is Southern Sudan and Sudan today, where is Ethiopia and Eritrea today? So nobody should always say that the unity of Nigeria is not negotiable.”

He wondered why the ACF is now taking the position it did when it was well represented in the 2014 national constitutional conference where the issue of restructuring of the country was well put to rest.

“The Arewa were fully represented in the 2014 national conference, the best first 11 from the Arewa group, the best first 11 from the Yoruba group, from the Igbos and all the minority groups across Nigeria, where we took certain critical decisions, one of which was to restructure Nigeria through devolution of power from the very behemoth too wealthy and all very powerful Federal Government that takes 57 percent of our national resources, while all the states combined take 24 and all the local governments take 20 percent, that will make the Federal Government less attractive and people will no longer be fighting to go to the centre.”

He however advised that for peace and equity to be achieved in the process, the National Assembly should incorporate the Confab Report in the process of the constitutional review so that it will have a national appeal and outlook.

“Now the National Assembly under section 4 is the legislative arm of government, they can decide to incorporate this restructuring through devolution of power into the constitutional amendment they are going through now, even though I believe that what we need is a totally new constitution, because the present 1999 constitution is actually an appendix of Decree No 24 of 1999 made by the Military and forced down the throat of Nigerians.

“So, I believe that if the National Assembly must embark on it, they can do by way of the powers under section 4 and under section 88 and 89 of the Constitution by devolving power from the very powerful centre to the Federating units,” he said.