The apex Yoruba socio-political group, Afenifere, on Tuesday, called on President Muhammadu Buhari to initiate a bill on restructuring and transmit it to the National Assembly for the legislative processes.
The group noted that President Buhari should initiate the legal framework that would birth restructuring having shown that “he has now favourably disposed to restructuring.”
The group’s position was contained in a communiqué issued shortly after the meeting of Afenifere leaders held at the house of acting Leader, Chief Ayo Adebanjo, in Sanya-Ogbo, Ijebu Ode, Ogun State.
The communiqué, which was signed by the National Publicity Secretary, Jare Ajayi maintained that Afenifere “strongly holds the position that restructuring should be done before the next elections in the country.”
The group also observed that Nigeria “is bleeding in many parts,” owing terrorism, kidnapping, the herders/farmers clashes and other insecurity challenges.
Afenifere noted that the insecurity challenges have made establishment of state police inevitable, saying “security apparatus should be democratised to the local level.”
It reads, “In view of the challenging situations we face, Afenifere calls for, indeed actually ready for meetings of stakeholders where the issues of Restructuring, Devolution of Power, true federalism would be firmed up. The outcome of such deliberations are to be passed into law and be made operational immediately.
“It is a matter of interest that the President said that he is now favourably disposed to Restructuring. We urge him to send a bill to the National Assembly on it immediately after the planned deliberations by the stakeholders in the country.
“Afenifere strongly holds the position that the above i.e Restructuring should be done before the next elections in the country.
“In the meantime, every community must be at alert to realise that they must defend themselves from bandits who seem to have declared war on Nigeria.”
The socio-political group also knocked the Federal Government on the ban of open grazing as canvassed by the Southern Governors at Asaba, Delta State, recently.
