By Tanko Mohammed, Jos
Sokoto state Governor, Aminu Tambuwal, has declared that the 19 northern states were not afraid of the proposed restructuring of the country. Tambuwal stated this yesterday in Jos, Plateau state, at the 2017 Annual Law Week and memorial lecture of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Jos Branch, in memory of Justice Dauda Azaki, who died 20 years ago. It was themed: “Restructuring: A Panacea for Nigeria’s Development and Cohesion.
” Tambuwal’s position came days after his Borno state counterpart, Kashim Shettima, declared that neither restructuring nor power devolution was the nation’s problem. Speaking along same line, Governor Tambuwal said, “I can confi dently say here that we, in the northern part of Nigeria are not afraid of restructuring.” Tambuwal, a former Speaker of the House of Representatives, further said, contrary to insinuations that northerners were opposed to restructuring of Nigeria, “those saying so are merely raising false alarm.”
He said northerners were not afraid of the economic implications of restructuring, noting that most states in the North had enough mineral deposits to be self-sustaining. More than any other thing, the governor noted that Nigerians from all parts of the country, desired true federalism. On the state of the nation’s judiciary, Tambuwal advised both the judges and lawyers to adjudicate speedily on cases to avoid prolonging stay of persons awaiting trial in prisons Also in a remark, Bauchi state Governor, MohammedAbubakar, described restructuring as a welcome development “as long as the proposed restructuring will not ignite rancour in the country.”
Abubakar advised that Nigerians should be properly educated on the issue to allay fears among some of them. On his part, Plateau state Governor, Simon Lalong, also called for caution on the issue, recalling that agitation for restructuring almost caused the country another round of unrest.
He said: “A misunderstanding of the concept of restructuring among the younger generation, has also undoubtedly given rise in some quarters to the provocative and inciting calls for secession and the dissolution of the Nigerian State.” While supporting the clamour for restructuring, Lalong, however, lamented that some of the agitations for restructuring had veered into hate speeches.
Earlier, chairman of the Jos branch of the NBA, Ralph Monye, condemned the prosecution of some judges in Abuja over alleged corrupt practices. “I had strongly condemned that despicable act, and in solidarity with their Lordships, I had predicted that the Judiciary, which seemed at that time to be under intense fire, would surely come out unscathed.
The dust has since settled and most of the judges have since resumed in their places of primary assignments.” Monye, who noted that practitioners of other professions were not being questioned for doing wrong, called for the prosecution of some security operatives for inhuman treatment of citizens. “The DSS (Department of State Services) is still one of the security outfi ts in Nigeria with no one calling for its disbandment,” he said.
