Nigeria: Restructuring - the Nation Waits for APC

14 September 2017
opinion

It is remarkable that restructuring has become a discussion point in this newspaper every week. That frequency underscores the fact that reports on the subject actually surface daily from all parts of the country. In other words, the political topic - restructuring has become an idea that cannot be suppressed anymore. What is more, the office of the citizen, arguably the most important office in any democracy is deeply involved in the hot debate (on restructuring) on all platforms. It is thus fitting that even the ruling party, the APC, has set up a committee to come up with a report of its own version of restructuring. That is how it should be as expectations have been quite high and the urgency the political assignment deserves is quite apparent everywhere we go. There is a glimmer of hope: that the expectation of the people from the governing party will not be cut off on the expediency of restarting development process that got stuck since 1966 when the military unified governance process in the country. The military government's Unification Decree. No. 34 of 1966 was the trigger.

Yes, "political restructuring" is the most frequently discussed subject in the polity today. Wherever two or more are gathered in the name of politics and even business, the subject seems to be the dominant discussion point. Wherever ethnic nationalities and even village weekly meetings are discussing political subjects, it is not complete until "federalism" or "devolution of powers" subset surfaces. Everyone seems to be talking about it. From politicians to journalists, and from social media activists to secessionist groups, it is the most popular town talk. As most development experts and all interest groups seem to be at their wit's end, it is understandable that people latch on to the federalism idea they believe holds all the answers.

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