Lawan’s Comments on Restructuring Personal, Says Senator Buhari

By Deji Elumoye and Juliet Akoje

Senator Abdulfattah Buhari has described the recent position canvassed by the President of the Senate, Dr. Ahmad Lawan, against the call by the southern governors for restructuring the country, as Lawan’s personal opinion.

Lawan had told reporter last Thursday at the Presidential Villa, Abuja that the governors calling for restructuring should start the process from their various states instead of directing such agitations at the federal government.

Buhari at media briefing yesterday at the National Assembly, however, said the views expressed by Lawan on calls for restructuring by the southern governors were his personal opinion and not that of the Senate.

He said: “The Senate President is entitled to his opinion anytime. I am entitled to my opinion discussing with my brother. So, what is my business with his comment and what is his own business with my comment. How can I be angry with another person’s comment? Even if he is the President of the Senate he is entitled to his opinion. He did not say he was talking on behalf of the Senate. He was accosted by journalists to make comments on some vital issues and he did as an individual and not on behalf of the Senate.”

The ranking senator who made the clarification while shedding more light on the motion raised against wanton killings by operatives of Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) in Iseyin, Oyo State last week, said he supports restructuring but not for secession as being canvassed in some quarters.

His words: “I must be honest with you, personally I don’t believe in secession. I believe in restructuring and I believe we should be able to talk. If we are talking of population we are not as populous as China or America even the Soviet Union that attempted a secession up till now, they are still in crises.

“So let us talk, let’s see what happened with the constitutional amendment committee, I am also a member. We are going to Lagos, 25th, 26th and 27th for we will listen even to people calling for secession. Submit your memoranda let us meet there.

“The moment you agree to go separate ways, there will still be fight within the small segments but we can sit down and talk and agree to put things aright.”