Why we don’t support restructuring -ACF

Secretary General of the Arewa Consultative Forum, Anthony Sani,
has said the northern group cannot throw its weight behind the call
for restructuring because there is no clear-cut definition for
it.

He also claimed that if restructuring was in the manifesto of
the All Progressives Congress, President Muhammadu Buhari and Vice
President Yemi Osinbajo would have shown genuine interest in the
agitation for it.

“If restructuring is in the manifesto of the All Progressives
Congress, President Muhammadu Buhari and Vice President Yemi
Osinbajo would certainly not be indifferent to it.

“I doubt it because the vice president once raised issues about
what is meant by the term ‘restructuring’, considering the fact
that some people talk of ‘true federalism’; some talk of ‘fiscal
federalism’. Others talk of ‘resource control’ and still others
talk about ‘resource ownership’. ACF is not for restructuring. ACF
cannot be for a restructuring whose definition is not clear,” Sani
told our reporter.

Speaking further, he said, “ACF has not given restructuring any
serious thought, not for lack of ideas but because we do believe
the problems of this country are not due to structure or form of
government but due more to collapse of national ideals and core
values of humanity which have affected the way we do things
substantially. By that, I mean our shared values of justice,
liberty, common decency and prosperity for all.”

The ACF secretary noted that the country had had a
“confederation with a weak centre which the first military coup
supplanted with the unitary system before the current federalism
that is a compromised between the two extremes.”

“What we now have is a federalism which has 36 states. Yet, some
people say it is not working because the states are not viable. But
how come Lagos State is viable under the current federalism?” Sani
said.

PUNCH

Secretary General of the Arewa Consultative Forum, Anthony Sani,
has said the northern group cannot throw its weight behind the call
for restructuring because there is no clear-cut definition for
it.

He also claimed that if restructuring was in the manifesto of
the All Progressives Congress, President Muhammadu Buhari and Vice
President Yemi Osinbajo would have shown genuine interest in the
agitation for it.

“If restructuring is in the manifesto of the All Progressives
Congress, President Muhammadu Buhari and Vice President Yemi
Osinbajo would certainly not be indifferent to it.

“I doubt it because the vice president once raised issues about
what is meant by the term ‘restructuring’, considering the fact
that some people talk of ‘true federalism’; some talk of ‘fiscal
federalism’. Others talk of ‘resource control’ and still others
talk about ‘resource ownership’. ACF is not for restructuring. ACF
cannot be for a restructuring whose definition is not clear,” Sani
told our reporter.

Speaking further, he said, “ACF has not given restructuring any
serious thought, not for lack of ideas but because we do believe
the problems of this country are not due to structure or form of
government but due more to collapse of national ideals and core
values of humanity which have affected the way we do things
substantially. By that, I mean our shared values of justice,
liberty, common decency and prosperity for all.”

The ACF secretary noted that the country had had a
“confederation with a weak centre which the first military coup
supplanted with the unitary system before the current federalism
that is a compromised between the two extremes.”

“What we now have is a federalism which has 36 states. Yet, some
people say it is not working because the states are not viable. But
how come Lagos State is viable under the current federalism?” Sani
said.

PUNCH