Raheem Akingbolu
Nigeria will continue to struggle towards achieving the much desired growth and development if the federal government fails to address issues such as, youths’ unrest, pandemic, restructuring and the nation’s knotty electoral process, the leadership of the African News Centre has stated.
Speaking during a Webinar tagged ‘EndSARS Renaissance Forum’ organized by African News Centre to review various challenges confronting Nigeria in recent time, the Executive Director, African News Centre, Mr. Ola Adebayo, took a swipe at the leadership of political parties in Nigeria, describing them as failing to work in line with the manifestoes of their parties.
While calling on government to focus on specific issues, working against the development of the country, Adebayo made reference to how the manifesto of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), which was put together by individuals, such as, Prof. Pat Tomi in 2013, to address issues relating to restructuring and unity, was jettisoned.
He said: “The road to hell is paved with good intentions as the plans of the Buhari administration has been swept under the carpet, and as a result, they are cruising in the direct opposite of their plans with such level of uncertainties. They have regrettably kicked against theories that can help the socioeconomic development of the country and therefore failed to fulfill their promises to their citizens who voted them into power.
“Six years ago, the agenda in the constitution is entrenched in federalism in order to initiate actions, amend the constitution to attract the brighter and greater minds of Nigerians in diaspora. Having read the manifestoes imbibed therein, no intelligent minds would have believed the aftermath of this government and as such, there’s need to lend our voices to move the country forward.”
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Grace Oyenubi, a journalist, at the forum said: “Federalism is a system of a good governance and the right leaders should be elected based on merit, and not ethnicity, religion or social status.
“It was disheartening to see majority of Nigerians killed and harassed by hoodlums and armed forces while airing their views to the government. Out of 36 states, 19 states are in the North and they tend to act as superiors with a lion share of the constitution.”
Another speaker, Rit Catonwa, a media expert, said reconciliation should be the focus of Nigerians and not restructuring at the moment.
“The call for restructuring is coined out of frustration with the system of governance and not on geographical entity though it is justifiable because there isn’t fairness and unity in government,” he said.
Unanimously, the speakers agreed that there was the need to amend the constitution towards the 2023 election in the North, South, East and West with a structure of the 36 states through the Senate and House of Assemblies.
They also recommended that vibrant leaders should be elected either young or old, in as much as that would effect the much-deserved change.
