Muhammadu Buhari Should Listen To Calls For Restructuring

The South-South Solidarity Forum has called on President Muhammadu Buhari to listen to calls for the restructuring of the country.

Prominent Nigerians, including a former Head of State, Yakubu Gowon, and ex-Vice President Atiku Abubakar had expressed their support for restructuring.

At a stakeholders’ meeting on Friday in Calabar, Cross River State, the forum’s National President, Dr. Bassey Umoh, called on Buhari not to ignore the call because of “numerous” ethnic and religious tensions in the country.

Umoh also said it was provocative to link former President Goodluck Jonathan to the activities of the Niger Delta Avengers.

He said, “The rising tension in the past one year and the worrisome militancy in the Niger Delta region as well as the rampaging Fulani herdsmen and the new face of Boko Haram, among others, are not issues that should be ignored.

“Looking closely, we have noted the obvious acts of commission and if allowed to continue, it will portend a great danger to the fragile unity and stability of the country.

“We therefore call on the President to take urgent steps to douse this tension in order to restore the hope of one and indivisible Nigerian nation. He should ignore those urging him to maintain an iron fist, but embrace true dialogue.

“He should consider the complexity of the Nigerian state and listen to the call for the restructuring of the country to enhance better co-existence.

“Also, a recent report linking Jonathan to the NDA militants is baseless and incongruous with the well acclaimed peaceful and highly patriotic disposition of the former President.

Meanwhile, the ViceChancellor of Al-Hikmah University, Ilorin, Kwara State, Prof. Mohammed Ibrahim, has urged Buhari to be pragmatic and aggressive in his efforts to develop agriculture in the country.

He said Nigeria needed realistic approaches to develop agriculture through mechanised farming.