Nigeria Doesn’t Need Restructuring But… — Arewa Consultative Forum

The Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) on Thursday insisted that restructuring is not the solution to the myriad of problems bedeviling the country today.

Rather than restructure, the forum said what Nigeria needs is prudent and judicious use of the nation’s resources to better the lives of Nigerians.

Speaking in a chat with newsmen, Anthony Sani, the Secretary-General of the ACF, said simple geographical restructuring will not solve Nigeria’s problem, rather what the country actually needs is prudent management of its national resources.

He said that was the main reason why the forum did not endorse Atiku Abubakar, presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), in the just conclude general elections.

Sani said, “Yes, I said ACF did not endorse Atiku more because the former Vice-President made restructuring of the country and sale of national assets his campaign mantra. ACF does not believe the problems of this nation lie on its structure or form of government but in prudent management of its resources.

“We have said it over and over again that this country has been restructured from confederate arrangement through unitary system to the present federal system.

“We also restructured from three regions through 12, 19, 30 states to now 36 states. Recall Dasuki’s local government reforms. You may also consider the nation has experienced parliamentary system through military dictatorship to the present presidential system.

“Economically, you would recall the nation practised mixed economy and restructure through Ibrahim Babangida’s Structural Adjustment Programme (SAP) and later, former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s privatisation under the watch of his Vice, Atiku Abubakar.

“All these combined to inform our position that any further restructuring of the country may not be helpful and that the panacea may well be prudent management of the national resources that comes with purposeful leadership.”