#NBA Awka Law Week: Calls For Restructuring Fuelled By Buhari’s Executive Arbitrariness — Sen. Abaribe

*laments absence of justice, equity in Nigeria

Senate Minority Leader, Enyinnaya Abaribe, has blamed the recent
calls for restructuring and agitations for secession on the
arbitrariness of the All Progressives Congress (APC) government,
led by President Muhammadu Buhari.

Abaribe stated this yesterday in Awka, Anambra State, while
addressing lawyers during the second day of the 25th Law Week of
the Awka branch of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA).

The lawmaker who spoke on the topic: ‘Executive Lawlessness in
Nigeria’s Pseudo-federalist Geo-polity: Shouldn’t Nigeria
Restructure Her Structure’, said there were several cases of
executive lawlessness on the part of the federal government.

He said: “There are a litany of executive arbitrariness by the
APC-led government of the Buhari’s presidency that has led to
thunderous clamour for restructuring.

“Before now, Nigerians have argued stridently over
discrimination, but the recent upsurge in perceived impunity and
bias in federal appointments by the Buhari presidency has sparked
concern of a very dangerous slide to a sectional strife.

“The nation seems to be on a meltdown. In the wake of the
unprecedented ravaging insecurity spreading all over the country,
many of the things that hold us together as a nation continue to
unravel, and the APC-led government seems powerless to stop the
slide.

“It is very unfortunate that the present government and the
inherent lawlessness have given impetus to the quagmire leading
Nigerians to question the system as presently constituted. The
country is in limbo.

There is an obvious feeling of despondency; my fear is that it
should not slide to a total state of anomie. There is agitation for
restructuring and extreme demand for secession, and all are fueled
by injustice and feeling of being left out, particularly the south
East,” Abaribe lamented.

Speaking further on whether the country should restructure, the
lawmaker said: “We accept that it is necessary to tinker with the
structure of our country. We must agree that the immediate cause of
our woes is injustice and inability to manage our diversity by the
present government.”

He stated that those who question the reason for restructuring
do not mean well for Nigeria, adding that the country cannot afford
to be limping as it is doing today, which is leading it to the
precipice. “Something must be done constitutionally, and that is to
amend the constitution to resolve the issues of today.

“We have to instill confidence in the polity by reflecting such
things as State Police, Devolution of powers, fiscal federalism in
the amendments. Essentially, it means to amend part 1 and 11 to
move certain items from exclusive to the concurrent list to give
more legislative powers to states,” he said.

The chairman of Awka branch of NBA, Mr. Ekene Okonkwo who spoke
earlier said the law week was put together as the contribution of
the branch to offering solutions to the current agitations in the
country.

The event started on Thursday and continues on Saturday with
awards to distinguished personalities and a thanksgiving mass on
Sunday.

*laments absence of justice, equity in Nigeria

Senate Minority Leader, Enyinnaya Abaribe, has blamed the recent
calls for restructuring and agitations for secession on the
arbitrariness of the All Progressives Congress (APC) government,
led by President Muhammadu Buhari.

Abaribe stated this yesterday in Awka, Anambra State, while
addressing lawyers during the second day of the 25th Law Week of
the Awka branch of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA).

The lawmaker who spoke on the topic: ‘Executive Lawlessness in
Nigeria’s Pseudo-federalist Geo-polity: Shouldn’t Nigeria
Restructure Her Structure’, said there were several cases of
executive lawlessness on the part of the federal government.

He said: “There are a litany of executive arbitrariness by the
APC-led government of the Buhari’s presidency that has led to
thunderous clamour for restructuring.

“Before now, Nigerians have argued stridently over
discrimination, but the recent upsurge in perceived impunity and
bias in federal appointments by the Buhari presidency has sparked
concern of a very dangerous slide to a sectional strife.

“The nation seems to be on a meltdown. In the wake of the
unprecedented ravaging insecurity spreading all over the country,
many of the things that hold us together as a nation continue to
unravel, and the APC-led government seems powerless to stop the
slide.

“It is very unfortunate that the present government and the
inherent lawlessness have given impetus to the quagmire leading
Nigerians to question the system as presently constituted. The
country is in limbo.

There is an obvious feeling of despondency; my fear is that it
should not slide to a total state of anomie. There is agitation for
restructuring and extreme demand for secession, and all are fueled
by injustice and feeling of being left out, particularly the south
East,” Abaribe lamented.

Speaking further on whether the country should restructure, the
lawmaker said: “We accept that it is necessary to tinker with the
structure of our country. We must agree that the immediate cause of
our woes is injustice and inability to manage our diversity by the
present government.”

He stated that those who question the reason for restructuring
do not mean well for Nigeria, adding that the country cannot afford
to be limping as it is doing today, which is leading it to the
precipice. “Something must be done constitutionally, and that is to
amend the constitution to resolve the issues of today.

“We have to instill confidence in the polity by reflecting such
things as State Police, Devolution of powers, fiscal federalism in
the amendments. Essentially, it means to amend part 1 and 11 to
move certain items from exclusive to the concurrent list to give
more legislative powers to states,” he said.

The chairman of Awka branch of NBA, Mr. Ekene Okonkwo who spoke
earlier said the law week was put together as the contribution of
the branch to offering solutions to the current agitations in the
country.

The event started on Thursday and continues on Saturday with
awards to distinguished personalities and a thanksgiving mass on
Sunday.