Abuja – Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar says restructuring the
country is in the interest of the North in particular and the country in
general.
Atiku said this at the launch of a book titled: “The Nigerian Federalism;
Continuing the Quest for Stability and Nation Building’’ in Abuja on
Monday.
The book, which was written by some federalism scholars in the African
Policy Research Institute was edited by Mr Okechukwu Ibeanu and Alhaji
Mohammad Kuna.
The former Vice President described the book as an important intervention,
adding that it would contribute to the ongoing debate on the country`s
federalism and possibly settle the issues.
He noted that the structure and practice of Nigerian federalism had been a
key topic of discussion and debates since the amalgamation of the North
and South Protectorates in 1914.
He said that this was with varying levels of intensity, adding that
opinions of different section of the country on the topic were all
legitimate.
Atiku, however, said that what he found odd and somewhat unhelpful was the
argument of those who said that the country`s unity could not be
renegotiated.
He said that those with such arguments usually proceeded to equate every
demand for restructuring the country as an attempt to break the country.
He stressed that every form of human relationships was negotiable while
every political relationship was open for negotiations without pre-set
outcomes.
“As a democrat and businessman I do not fear negotiations. That is what
reasonable human beings do. This is even more important if a stubborn
resistance against negotiations can lead to unsavoury outcomes.
“I have spoken a number of times on the need to restructure our federation
in order to devolve more power and resources to the federating units.
“Recently in Kaduna, I told an audience of mostly my compatriots from the
North, where most of the resistance against restructuring seems to come
from that restructuring is in the interest of the North and Nigeria,’’ he
said.
Atiku maintained that federalisms across the world were works in progress,
adding that there was no ideal federal system or true federalism as
claimed.
He added that each nation had to work out the best federal system that
suited it. He said that Nigerians must acknowledge that it was
disingenuous if not outright dishonest to say that the system was not the
problem.
“If the problem is just the operators; how come we have failed for 50
years to produce the right people?,’’ the former Vice President queried.
Atiku said that national unity did not mean the absence of disagreement or
agitations.
According to him, disagreements and peaceful agitations indicate vibrant
and living relationships, while the key to making national progress is to
manage those disagreements in peaceful and mature ways.
He said that political and civic leaders from across the country must come
together, discuss, negotiate and make the necessary compromises and
sacrifices needed to restructure the federation.
He said that this would make the people stronger, more united, and
productive and make the country more competitive. The former Vice
President later lunched the book with the sum of N5 million. Mr Chris
Uche, the Chairman of the occasion, described the book as the most
comprehensive and authoritative on Nigerian federalism, adding that it was
a critical assessment and real definition of the subject matter. Amb.
Sunday Dogonyaro, the Executive Director of African Policy Research
Institute, said that the institute took the initiative to write the book
three years ago. He said that the book was not a personal view neither was
it a political book but one that would help to explain the Nigerian
federalism and why certain policies were taken. The occasion was attended
by former ambassadors and representatives of some government agencies.