Buhari’s second term, best time to restructure Nigeria along fiscal federalism – Akeredolu

GOVERNOR Rotimi Akeredolu has said the Buhari administration and the ruling All Progressives Congress, which he is a member, could restructure the country along the line of fiscal federalism.

Akeredolu noted that all that is needed is a political will to initiate the process which he described as “a fundamental thing.”

The governor said this last night while featuring on a Channels Television Programme, ‘Politics Today’.

Akeredolu, who is the Chairman of the South-West Governors’ Forum, said the second term of the President is the “best time” to restructure the country along security and economic lines.

He said, “A number of us, no doubt believe that the issue of the structure of this country must be addressed. We are not running away from that fact. Even in our constitution, restructuring is fundamental there.

“The issue is why is it difficult? It shouldn’t be difficult and I believe that the best time to do it is now because Mr President is running his second term and Mr President can, if there is will, there will be a way and this can be done. Some of us believe that it is important for us to do it once and for all and let everybody come to the table, make his case.

“Yes, I know that at the National Assembly level, a number of things are being done on the amendment of the constitution. Bring it out, let people know what you are doing because at the end of the day, what the National Assembly will arrive at might at least, solve some of the problems and the additional things we have to do like fiscal federalism will have to follow.”

He also supported his Ekiti State counterpart, Kayode Fayemi, by calling for a multi-level policing system.

Akeredolu, however, said there should be a stop-gap measures in place before such policing system scales the constitutional hurdle.

The Ondo governor suggested that head of security agencies must convene security meetings and promptly end the menace of kidnapping, banditry, terrorism, herders’ oppression, amongst others.

Akeredolu said, “We have a security architecture we cannot change overnight. What we must do for now is to respond to demands of insecurity. They (security chiefs) must take necessary steps now. We must not continue to scratch the surface. This is a serious matter and I believe the IG, all the service chiefs should be in one place or the other meeting so that solution can come to this problem, so that where you have crisis at each time so that you can respond to it instantaneously.”

Continuing, Governor Akeredolu said, “I listened to Governor Ortom when he spoke and I sympathise with him that a governor will become a target for this attack and I thank God for his life and I think he is right, definitely we cannot conduct an election under an insecure environment.

“So, if this insecurity is not nipped in the bud, it will escalate undoubtedly, so all of us should be worried that as we are getting to 2023, we might have a full-scale banditry and other insecurity in the country and with that nobody can carry out any election in that atmosphere.

“He (Ortom) has made a good point that the Federal Government must sit up and ensure that this issue of insecurity is nipped in the bud.”