Atiku And People’s Expectation

As Nigeria troubleshoots into the cause of its staggering national development, there have been insinuations that only the restructuring of the federation could profer the much needed solution to the nation’s political and economic woes.
While some political analysts and pundits think in this direction, many states which derive greater percentage of their sustainability from the federation account have continued to express dissenting views. Their fears, I suppose, stem from the uncertainty of the economy of their states should such opinion be heeded to.
Surprisingly, a former Vice –President of Nigeria, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, after a thorough diagnosis of the Nigerian situation, became an ambassador of true fiscal federalism for the country.
He declared that “our current structure and the practices it has encouraged have been a major impediment to the economic and political development of our country”, while insisting that the system had not been fair enough to the North in particular and Nigeria as a whole.
Although it is not certain if Alhaji Abubakar, who now bears the flag of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), for the presidential election, may have contemplated paddling the political ship of the Africa’s most populous nation, when he said that the system this country presently operates, is incapable of guaranteeing her eventual growth.
However, one finds it difficult to either consider his unequivocal expression as merely one of the words of the ordinary fan outside the field of play, who would always consider himself a better player if given the chance, or those of a hero poised to make a change.
Whatever it is, the truth remains that the system has not served the country well. No doubt, many states have benefited from the wealth of others, where the owners of such wealth have nothing to show for it.
While many Nigerians present themselves for the presidential race, Atiku’s overwhelming victory at the PDP’s poll for the presidential primaries, may not have been unconnected with his earlier identification with the clamour for the restructuring of the nation. His take on the excessive concentration of power at the centre in our brand of federalism as the reason behind the present woes of the nation, must have stood him out among his equals.
Apparently, with the incessant calls from different quarters for a restructuring under the aegis of “return to regionalism”, “independent, self-sustaining federating units”, or “restoration of federalism”, it is obvious that the system of governance practised in Nigeria has outlived its usefulness and, like every expired product, its continuous usage portends danger.
I think that Alhaji Atiku Abubakar must be told that his preference in the polls over his co-aspirants did not have any thing to do with his antecedents. Neither was he chosen on grounds of experience.
Nigerians expect him to, as a matter of integrity, remember his words that “the system this country presently operates, is incapable of guaranteeing her eventual growth”, hence the need to fix it with the restructuring agenda.
Restructuring if considered an option, will not only make a way forward for our great nation, it will help Nigeria rediscover itself for self-development. This I believe, is achievable.

By: Sylvia ThankGod-Amadi.