- The group said Tinubu before his election was a leading proponent for the restructuring of the country, hence he must not betray Nigerians
The Pan-Yoruba social political group, Afenifere, has doubled down on its call for the restructuring of the country, saying it will enhance efficiency in government.
The group said President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has no excuse not to restructure Nigeria as he used the platform and ideology of the group to achieve his presidential ambition.
The body also declared that its blueprint on restructuring Nigeria is ready.
This is just as the body hinged its restructuring blueprint on the adoption of a parliamentary system of government for Nigeria.
The Publicity Secretary of Afenifere, Mogaji Gboyega Adejumo, disclosed this while briefing journalists after the caucus meeting of the group held at Isanya Ogbo Ijebu, Ogun State residence of Pa Ayo Adebanjo, a factional leader of Afenifere.
The meeting which was presided over by Adebanjo equally had in attendance Oba Oladipo Olaitan, the Deputy leader of the group, Chief Supo Sonibare, Treasurer, Chief Mrs Kofoworola Bucknor, former Deputy Governor of Lagos State, Prince Justice Faloye, Deputy National Publicity Secretary, Chief Segun Ojo, Bashorun Segun Sanni, among others.
The Afenifere, which is one of the leading voices on agitation for restructuring Nigeria, had set up a committee to aggregate views of stakeholders on the demand.
At a caucus meeting of the Afenifere held on Tuesday, the panel submitted its report.
Adejumo said Afenifere had developed its blueprint on restructuring the country and called on the Tinubu-led administration to adopt the blueprint.
The group said Tinubu before his election was a leading proponent for the restructuring of the country, hence he must not betray Nigerians.
Afenifere described Tinubu as a beneficiary of the call for restructuring within this democratic dispensation.
“Sometimes last year November, a committee under the leadership of Oba Oladipo Olaitan was set up to aggregate Afenifere’s view on restructuring and today (Tuesday), the committee said that the report is ready.
“However, this report will still be considered by the executives of the association after which it will be taken to the general assembly where all the members will get to know what we stand on restructuring as Afenifere and we shall then print the report, do our various publicity on it for people to be enlightened on what we believe on restructuring.
“Tinubu himself is a product of Afenifere, he was elected on the platform and ideology of Afenifere. He took the federal government to court under the leadership of former President Obasanjo for 31 times in an effort to implement restructuring.
“He didn’t do anything when former President Buhari was there for eight years, probably he was bidding his time because he knew that northerners won’t implement restructuring because they thought it won’t favour them.
“But Tinubu is there now as the President, he is answerable to us all as a product of Afenifere and as what the whole Yoruba did under the Afenifere in Adamasingba, Ibadan, Oyo State in 2017 that what we want is nothing but restructuring.
“For this 2017 meeting, we invited the South South, South East and the Middle Belt and this is the beginning of what we called Southern and Middlebelt Leaders Forum.
“So we are still meeting at this forum when other zones will also submit their recommendations. So what we took to 2014 Confab is what we are submitting even though some things have changed. We will then take it before the National Assembly for their approval”, Afenifere said.
He said one of the core restructuring objectives of Afenifere is to push for a parliamentary system of government as it’s not as expensive as the presidential system.