'YOUR WAR ON CORRUPTION CANNOT SOLVE NIGERIA'S PRIBLEM'-Mimiko and Yoruba leaders tell Buhari

Ondo State Governor, Olusegun Mimiko and some leaders of Yoruba, today
said President Muhammadu Buhari’s anti-corruption war would do little in
solving Nigeria’s challenges, unless the federation is restructured.
They called for the immediate implementation of the 2014 National
Conference, which they said was the only instrument that can bring peace
and progress to the nation.
Mimiko and the leaders spoke at the second edition of Yoruba Summit held
in Akure, the Ondo State Capital with the theme, “Economic Downturn and
Unemployment in Yorubaland.”
Yoruba leaders in attendance included Afenifere leader, Pa. Reuben
Fasoranti, Chief Ayo Adebanjo, Chief Olu Falae, Bishop Bolanle Gbonigi
(rtd), Ambassador Yemi Farohunbi, Otunba Gani Adams, and Sehinde
Arogbofa.
Others were Gen. Raji Rasaki (Rtd) Olanihun Ajayi, Yinka Odumakin,
representative of Yoruba Council of Elders, Gen. Adeyinka Adebayo, Yinka
Odumakin, Kunle Olajide and Chief Adegboye Onigbinde.
The leaders shortly after the summit, came up with a communique and it
was signed by chairmen of Yoruba Unity Forum, (YUF), Gbonigi, Afenifere,
Fasoranti, Oodua Peoples Congress (OPC), Adams and Yoruba Council of
Elders (YCE) Adebayo.
In the communique, the elders said there was urgent need for a federation
structure.
They noted that the unrest in some parts of the country, particularly the
ongoing agitation of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) could only be
resolved if the Buhari’s administration is ready to implement the 2014
Confab report.
While saying that they stand for the unity of Nigeria, the elders insisted
that the federal government must look critically into the causes of separatist
feelings and initiate constitutional reforms to give a sense of belonging to
all constituent units of the country.
They called for a meeting of Yoruba states Governors to fashion out an
agenda for cooperation that would leverage on the economic strength of
each state to create a conducive atmosphere for entrepreneurs that would
empower Yoruba people to float businesses and also create jobs for the
unemployed youth.
The communique reads, “we should not paper over the crack and watch till
the situation gets out of hands nor take precipitated actions.
“The recommendations of the 2014 National Conference offer a good
template for such engagement of the nationality question.
“To this end, the summit is irrevocably committed to pushing for the
resolution of the lingering national question via the restructuring of our
federation, devolution of the corresponding review of the revenue allocation
in favour of the federating unit and centralization of the security network”.
Earlier in his address, Mimiko said, “recent events in Nigeria have shown us
that those centrifugal forces that had continually threatened our national
unity and cohesion are not fatigued.
“Multiculturalism, which the rest of the world has turned to strength,
remains a major challenge to Nigeria. Diversity has become a bitter pill,
which the country is constantly forced to swallow when the rest of the
world has used same as a launch pad into greatness.
“Today, almost everything keeps separating us. Language has divided us,
religion has torn us apart and culture has alienated us. Yet, these could be
sources of strength and cohesion.
“Unfortunately, we may remain in this miasma for as long as we deny the
need for us to redesign the federation such that we would be able to create
multiple centres of development in the true spirit of competitive federalism.
“A great piece of document remains on the table if the present Federal
Government will find the courage to implement it. I have in mind here the
report of the 2014 National Conference.
“That Conference, Nigerians had an uncommon opportunity to discuss their
collective future.
“The 492 Delegates, through consensus, passed over 600 resolutions. The
resolutions touched most, if not all, the critical issues that had served as
impediments to Nigeria’s rapid development and the attainment of
nationhood. The overarching recommendation was the need for political
restructuring.
“This is to retain a Federal system of government with States as the
federating units, with all the powers and resources thereto. It would allow
States that wish to merge do so in accordance with the Constitution of the
Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended), a possibility that is no longer too
far-fetched given the financial crises in which most States of the Federation
have now found themselves.
“The restructuring would also accommodate the establishment of State
Police to enhance national security. In the economic domain, exploitation of
solid minerals would be taken from the Exclusive Legislative List, such that
states would be able to harness the solid minerals in their jurisdictions,
thus creating employment, generating more revenue and developing at their
own pace.
“It is evident that implementation of the 2014 Confab Report has the
potential to liberate every part of Nigeria and ultimately, open up the
political space. It is only such a courageous move that would extirpate
centrifugal forces burgeoning and threatening to tear Africa’s largest nation
apart. The latest is the resurgence of the demand for an independent
Biafra.
“I use this opportunity to call on the Federal Government to exercise
utmost restrain in managing this renewed agitation, which the
implementation of the Confab Report would have made otiose.
“The 2014 National Conference Report must, therefore, not be allowed to be
confined to the dustbin of history, as it possesses inherent capacities to
replace the centrifugal forces threatening the existence of Nigeria with
centripetal forces that could build a nation.
“I implore this august body to keep the demand for restructuring and
indeed, the implementation of the 2014 National Conference in the front
burner of national discourse.”