socio-ethnic groups calling for the immediate restructuring of Nigeria,
saying the Buhari administration will not succumb to threats and undue
pressure over the matter.
Malam Garba Shehu, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on
Media and Publicity, stated this in a statement on Monday morning when
he responded to the renewed agitation in some quarters for the
restructuring of the country.
General Overseer of Redeemed Church, Pastor Enoch Adeboye, and the
leadership of some socio-cultural groups including Ohaneze Ndigbo and
Afenifere as well as Niger Delta agitators and individuals have
reiterated the call for restructuring of Nigeria.
According to them, the country needs a home-grown constitution that will
usher in new political and economic arrangements based on regional
structures or ”the country will break up”.
The presidential aide, however, dismissed the recurring threats as
unpatriotic outbursts, saying the Buhari administration would not take
any decision against the interest of 200 million Nigerians.
The statement read in part: ”The Presidency responds to the recurring
threats to the corporate existence of the country with factions giving
specific timelines for the President to do one thing or another or else,
in their language, “the nation will break up.”
”This is to warn that such unpatriotic outbursts are both unhelpful and
unwarranted as this government will not succumb to threats and take any
decision out of pressure at a time when the nation’s full attention is
needed to deal with the security challenges facing it at a time of the
Covid-19 health crisis.
”Repeat: this administration will not take any decision against the
interests of 200 million Nigerians, who are the President’s first
responsibility under the constitution, out of fear or threats especially
in this hour of the health crisis.
”The President as an elected leader under this constitution will
continue to work with patriotic Nigerians, through and in line with the
Parliamentary processes to finding solutions to structural and other
impediments to the growth and wellbeing of the nation and its people.”