The Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), George Akume on Wednesday defended the clamour for the restructuring of Nigeria, explaining that it would strengthen the country’s federalism.
Akume, a former Senate Minority Leader, said it was wrong for some Nigerians to always see restructuring from the point of breaking up Nigeria.
Rather, he argued that with restructuring, more power and resources would be devolved to the federating units, which would in turn strengthen their bond.
He was speaking at the public presentation of “Restructuring Nigeria: The Way Forward”, a book authored by Celestine Omehia, a former governor of Rivers State from May 29, 2007, to October 25, 2007.
Akume, who was represented by Prof. Bolaji Babatunde Bernard, reechoed President Bola Tinubu’s position on restructuring, noting, “Restructuring is not about breaking up Nigeria; it is about strengthening the federation by devolving responsibilities, empowering subnational governments, and creating a governance structure that brings power closer to the people.
“Indeed, many of the reforms already being implemented by this administration point clearly in that direction. The removal of fuel subsidy and the unification of the foreign exchange market are bold fiscal steps aimed at empowering states through improved revenue allocation and stronger economic governance.
“The ongoing tax reforms are designed to broaden the fiscal space and ensure that federating units can generate and retain more resources to serve their people.”
The former governor of Benue State also cited ongoing debates by governors and other state actors on the need to have state police in efforts to improve security at the sub-national levels as an indication that restructuring was gaining ground in the country.
“Equally significant are the ongoing conversations on the establishment of state police, which would deepen security at the grassroots, and the push for greater digital and infrastructure investments that enable states to become engines of growth in their own right.
These are not isolated policy choices, they reflect a deliberate move toward a more balanced, efficient, and responsive federation”, Akume stated.
On the proper way to execute restructuring, he explained that, “as we engage with restructuring, we must do so with a spirit of patriotism, dialogue, and peace. It is always better to live in peace with each other as a family than be at war with one another. Our strength as a nation lies not in uniformity but in unity, in harnessing our diversity for collective progress. Restructuring must therefore be pursued as a unifying force, not a divisive weapon.”
However, Akume told the session that the book, ‘Restructuring Nigeria: The Way Forward’, “is more than a literary contribution; it is a bold and timely intervention in one of the most crucial conversations of our national life, how to build a more just, inclusive, and prosperous Nigeria.”
