Restructuring: Buhari Won’t Bow To Threat Of Secession – Presidency

The presidency as described as ‘unpatriotic outburst’  the call for true fiscal federalism and restructuring of Nigeria by some individuals and groups.

CityNews Nigeria reports that Presidential spokesman, Garba Shehu, said president Muhammadu Buhari administration will not bow to threats made by those calling for a restructuring of Nigeria..

In the build-up to the 2015 elections, one of the electioneering slogan of the All Progressives Congress (APC) was to restructure Nigeria by “promoting true federalism in the Federal Republic of Nigeria”.

In its manifesto, the party specifically promised to “restructure governance in a way that kick starts our political economy so that we begin to walk the path of our better future”.

But little or nothing has been done towards actualisation of such pledge after five years in power.

The refusal to fulfil this promise has led to some Nigerians and groups mounting pressure on the APC-led government to restructure the country.

On Saturday, Enoch Adeboye, general overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), joined in demanding for true federalism, saying: “It is either we restructure or we break, you don’t have to be a prophet to know that one. That is certain – restructure or we break up.”

But in a statement on Sunday, Shehu said the concerns of Nigeria now should be how to end the security challenges facing it.

He noted that the call for secession is unwarranted and unhelpful, and the government might take action if such rhetoric continues.

“The Presidency responds to the recurring threats to the corporate existence of the country with factions giving specific timelines for the President to do one thing or another or else, in their language, ‘the nation will break up’,” he said in the statement.

“This is to warn that such unpatriotic outbursts are both unhelpful and unwarranted as this government will not succumb to threats and take any decision out of pressure at a time when the nation’s full attention is needed to deal with the security challenges facing it at a time of the COVID-19 health crisis.

“Repeat: this administration will not take any decision against the interests of 200 million Nigerians, who are the President’s first responsibility under the constitution, out of fear or threats especially in this hour of a health crisis.”

He added that President Muhammadu Buhari would “continue to work with patriotic Nigerians” in line with the legislative process to finding solutions to “structural and other impediments to the growth and wellbeing of the nation and its people”.