• Maintains internal forces destroying PDP
By Emmanuel Addeh in Yenagoa
The Bayelsa State Governor and Chairman, South-south Governors’ Forum, Mr. Seriake Dickson, yesterday insisted that unless President Muhammadu Buhari reviews his attitude on restructuring and put machinery in motion to renegotiate the current structure of the country, Nigeria would continue to wobble.
Dickson in a media chat in Yenagoa, the state capital, urged President Buhari to seize the unique opportunity of being the leader of the country to initiate tangible moves on how the nation should be reorganised, maintaining that the deep divisions in the country had become disturbing.
The governor also spoke on the future of his party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), but saying it was sad that there were forces within the party that always succeeded in throwing a spanner in the works of the PDP any time it was in the process of making progress since losing power at the centre.
He described those agitating for restructuring as the true Nigerian patriots, insisting that unless certain fundamental changes were made, in spite of the ‘cosmetic’ amendments being made by the National Assembly, the current system was not sustainable.
“I believe that if we want a balanced, stable and united Nigeria, we need to review the structure of the country. That’s what restructuring means. Let’s put our cards on the table, our fears as well as the complaints and find a way around them.
“The present attitude of the federal government and the president to the issue of restructuring is something I disagree with. I am not like other politicians. I stand with my people. As an Ijaw man, a Niger Delta man and a Nigerian progressive, I believe that this country has to have a meeting and discuss how we can make Nigeria more stable, prosperous and therefore a Nigeria that can last.
“Those of us who are talking about restructuring are the true lovers of this country. There are those who feel they have advantages they want to protect. So, they want the status quo maintained. In that case, they are either talking about individual interests or regional or ethnic interest, not Nigeria’s interest.
“Agitation are normal anyway. Every country in the world is an artificial creation. It is the duty and responsibility of leaders to rise to the occasion and address those fears even if they are imaginary or unreasonable, you explain and engage the people,†the governor said.
He asked the president to borrow a leaf from the United Kingdom and America which are still discussing fundamental issues of restructuring even many years after achieving nationhood.
“Until now, our own colonial masters, UK, is still dealing with its own issues of restructuring and devolution of powers to Scotland, Wales and Northern Island. Last year, the Scots had a referendum on whether they should be an independent nation or not, heavens did not fall.
“You have to create a platform for people to ventilate their feelings. I don’t believe that you will have a majority of people in any party of this country that will decide to break up the country. No! As I always say, Nigeria’s unity is desirable, but stop telling me it’s not negotiable,†he added.
According to the governor, the body to be set up should not be another talkshop, but one involving leaders at various levels that will come out with lasting solutions to nagging issues in the country.
He added that the Nigerian structure as currently constituted remains largely unitary, stressing that the federal government was taking on matters meant for states and local councils.
“This is a unitary state. That’s why we have all these conflicts. We have to be in a truly federal Nigeria. So, the federal government should discuss modalities for organising not a talk shop , but a multiparty or bipartisan committee made up of its officials, the leadership of the National Assembly, state governors, speakers of the various state assemblies, leaders of the various major political parties and other selected interest groups.
