Lawan Frowns at Call for Restructuring by Elected Officers

The  President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan, has frowned at Southern Governors and other elected leaders joining in the call for secession or calling for the restructuring of the country.

Lawan stated this on Thursday while fielding questions from State House correspondents in Abuja. He noted that he was not against those calling for restructuring but frowned at elected officials who are advancing the calls.

According to the Senate President, state governors must ensure that they restructure their respective states first before calling for restructuring at the federal level.

“The call for secession or the call for restructuring, many are genuine calls even though I never believe that someone who is calling for secession means well or is a misguided person.

“But I believe that when somebody calls for improving the structure that we have is a genuine call.

“But I want to advise here, I believe that as leaders those of us who were elected must not be at the forefront of calling for this kind of thing because even if you are a governor you are supposed to be working hard in your state to ensure that this restructuring you are calling for at the federal level you have done it in your state as well.

“This is because what you may accuse the federal government of whatever it is, you may also be accused of the same thing in your state.

“So, we are supposed to ensure that we have a complete and total way of ensuring that our systems at the federal, state and even local government work for the people and that we allow people to participate in governance so that whoever feels that he has something to offer to make Nigeria better does so freely without any hindrance.’’

Lawan also called on Nigerians to come together irrespective of their religious, ethnic, or political persuasions to find lasting solutions to the nation’s challenges. He also solicited that elected leaders across the three tiers of government should avoid primordial sentiments capable of creating division and social discontent among Nigerians.

“We should avoid partisanship, we should avoid regionalism. We are all leaders and we are in this together. The solution must come from us regardless of what level of government we are – whether at the federal, state or even at the local government level,’’ Lawan added.