Calls for restructuring increase as the nation turns 56

According to Chief Wole Oke, the Secretary of Egbe Afenifere in Kwara, Emmanuel Ayeoribe, former Kwara state Chairman of Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) and Alhaji Bibire Ajape, Special Adviser, (Political), to Governor Abudulfatah Ahmed, the slow pace of socio, political and economic developments of Nigeria demands a revisit of its foundation.

In separate interviews with The Guardian in Ilorin, Oke, Ayeoribe and Ajape canvassed speedy overhauling of Nigeria’s constitution, inherited from prolonged military rule to make it conform to the ethos of a modern democratic nation.

“For instance, what is the meaning of the word ‘Kwara’ to the Yoruba, who form over 80 per cent of the population of the state?

Speaking in line with Oke’s proposition, Ayeoribe said the minorities in each of the states of Nigeria should first be allowed a referendum to decide on where they want to belong to before “we could be calling Nigeria a democratic nation.”

Ajape, while urging Nigerians to adopt the principle of “togetherness we shall stand”, queried the interpretations of the concept of ‘restructuring’ by some Nigerians, just as he said the harvests of “the true meaning” of the proposition should form the fulcrum of how the exercise should be carried out.

He, nevertheless, challenged the Legislative arm of government to rise to the need of accommodating restructuring in their sessions, just as he proposed a political arrangement that would guarantee a systematic taste of the presidency by all the existing geo political zones of Nigeria.