Restructuring outbursts unpatriotic, Buhari won’t succumb to threats, Presidency says

Service Chiefs, Restructuring
President Muhammadu Buhari

The Nigerian government has rebuffed the renewed calls by some individuals and socio-ethnic groups calling for the restructuring of the country, saying the President Muhamadu Buhari administration won’t succumb to threats and undue pressure over the matter.

The Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, reacting on behalf of the Presidency in a statement Monday morning, described the agitations as “unpatriotic outbursts,” which he said are both unhelpful and unwarranted

The leadership of some socio-cultural groups, especially from the south-western, south-eastern and south-southern Nigeria, which include Afenifere, Ohaneze Ndigbo, and Niger Delta agitators plus influential individuals have reiterated the call for restructuring of Nigeria.

Just at the weekend, the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), Pastor Enoch Adejare Adeboye, presiding over Nigeria’s biggest Christian Pentecostal denomination, also lent his voice to the call for the restructuring of the country to avoid its imminent break up.

Those calling for the restructuring of the Nigeria, among several demands made, said the country needed a home-grown constitution that will usher in new political and economic arrangements based on regional structures or “the country will break up.”

But presidential aide, in his reaction, brushed aside “the recurring threats” for “restructuring,” as unpatriotic outbursts, saying the Buhari administration would not take any decision against the interest of 200 million Nigerians.

The statement read: “The Presidency responds to the recurring threats to the corporate existence of the country with factions giving specific timelines for the President to to do one thing or another or else, in their language, “the nation will break up.”

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“This is to warn that such unpatriotic outbursts are both unhelpful and unwarranted as this government will not succumb to threats and take any decision out of pressure at a time when the nation’s full attention is needed to deal with the security challenges facing it at a time of the Covid-19 health crisis.

“Repeat: this administration will not take any decision against the interests of 200 million Nigerians, who are the President’s first responsibility under the constitution, out of fear or threats especially in this hour of health crisis.

” The President as an elected leader under this constitution will continue to work with patriotic Nigerians, through and in line with the Parliamentary processes to finding solutions to structural and other impediments to the growth and wellbeing of the nation and its people.”