Again, Southern, Middle Belt Leaders Call for Restructuring

George Okoh

Foremost elder statesman and chieftain of the pan-Yoruba sociocultural organisation, Afenifere, Chief Ayo Adebanjo, has warned Nigerians against divisive actions of President Muhammadu Buhari, describing him as ‘dictator, tyrant and autocrat who had seen the weakness in the country’s constitution to now practice unitary system .

He warned Nigerians not to participate in any election until the country is restructured.

He spoke yesterday in Makurdi when leaders of South and Middle Belt Forum paid a condolence visit to the Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom, and demanded the restructuring of Nigeria.

The Afenifere leader who went down memory lane, said the best constitution that could have suited the country was the 1954 constitution but regretted that it was jettisoned.

He lamented that the 1979 constitution imposed on the country by military government was unitary in system and gave too much power to the president.

“The true constitution that could have helped the country was the 1954 constitution which gave true federalism but it was rejected. What we have is the constitution imposed on us by the military.”

“The present constitution has given too much power to the president which makes him the most powerful leader in the world, let me tell you, we should not go to election without restructuring so that we have true democracy where justice reigns.”

Adebanjo who lamented the killings in the state, slammed President Buhari and the APC government for not doing enough for the state.

“If Buhari and APC are interested in keeping this country amicably, they must go and resolve herdsmen issue.”

He said Benue people are too educated, too civilised and matured to be dominated by herdsmen.

“How can Buhari say that you must go and accommodate your fellow even when your fellow is killing you?”

TheAfenifere leader who promised hands of fellowship with the people of Benue State said: “We must join hand to fight the freedom of Southsouth and the middle belt, we must change this constitution that makes others prey and if Buhari and APC believe in chariots and horses we in the South and Middle Belt believe in the Lord of host.

Also in his condolence message, leader of Ohanaeze, Ndigbo, Chief John Nwodo, regretted that Benue is been tested as a case of new aggression.

He also stated that the best way to get out of the injustice been meted out on other parts of the country is to restructure Nigeria.

According to Nwodo, “What is happening is that Benue is being used as a test of new aggression.”

“The problem is that since military took over and handed over constitution on us, Nigeria remains divided, whereas there was ex positional growth under regional government but the type of our democracy does not respect peoples voice. “

“To say the truth, we are fed up with this constitution, restructuring is a national imperative. If we continue like this, Nigeria will die in the next seven years.”

The South-south leader, Air Commodore, Tony Enan Indongiset, who said the visit was to condole with the state, also lent his voice on the restructuring of the country.

According to him, “If governors has the full control of the security, he would have been able to deploy such when he got the intelligent report and this would have averted the crisis.

“There must be a Nigeria but Nigeria with justice and fair play.”

Bala Takaya, who led the Middle Belt Forum, charged people of Benue State not to allow foreigners take over their land.

“This land is not their land but the land belongs to the Benue people, our forefathers fought to get the land for us and we must not allow anyone to take over the land, we must secure the land for our children and generation unborn.”

On his part, former governor of the old Anambra State, Chief Emeka Ezeife, applauded the anti- open grazing law and charged other governors to adopt the law, adding, “no murderer or relation of the murderer should come to the land of victims, Ezeife said.”

The delegation which comprised leaders from the South-west, Southeast, South-south and Middle Belt, was led by Chief Ayo Adebanjo.

Among the delegation were: Chief John Nwodo, Enan Edongesit, Chief Ayo Adebanjo, Dr. Bala Takaya.

Others were Chief Emeka Ezeife, Senator Sam Egwu, Chief Olusegun Mimiko, Senator Chris Anyawu, Banji Akintoye and Yinka Odumakin among others.

Responding, Governor Ortom who said he had earlier in the debate for restructuring threw it to the National Assembly, said he has now thrown his weight behind restructuring.

He said the visit by the group has given hope that other Nigerians are behind the state anti-open grazing law.