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Did Tinubu Also Just Wake Up From His Sleep? by OduduaDefender(m): 12:02pm On Sep 30, 2017 |
Less than 18 months to the 2019 elections , some politicians who
were once opposed to or quiet on restructuring have started
making a U- turn, an action that political pundits have tagged as
hypocrisy. JESUSEGUN ALAGBE writes
In his 1968 book , The People ’s Republic, foremost Nigeria ’s
nationalist and statesman, Chief Obafemi Awolowo [1909- 1987 ],
spoke of selfish African leaders who were used to employing
deceit to swindle the citizens .
He said , “ Africa has produced more self- seeking leaders than
public- spirited ones . But , thank goodness, the masses of the
people remain largely unspoilt and uncorrupted, and are
developing fast the technique of differentiating gold from lead
and real metal from dross .
“ What is more , they have begun to show their preparedness for
very rough action against any political leader who may be
caught in the game of public trickery and fraud . ”
Forty - nine years after the late sage wrote those words, political
pundits, however; still believe the political class in Nigeria has
not relented in its attempt in making use of public trickery and
fraud , particularly when they need the people’ s votes during
elections.
According to political analysts , the U- turn some politicians have
made in the past few days on the topic of restructuring has
suggested that because they know it is what most Nigerians are
clamouring for, they (politicians) are now using it as a bait to
endear the people to themselves now that the 2019 elections are
gradually approaching .
In May 2016, it was former Vice - President Atiku Abubakar , who
perhaps first started making the call for Nigeria’ s restructuring,
stating that it held the key to resolving agitations fuelled by
feelings of marginalisation across the country .
He had explained that Nigeria , as it was structured , was not
working, and as such , it was necessary to take a second look at
the structure with a view to reforming it into a workable entity.
Since making the call, it has spread like wildfire, with several
other prominent Nigerians , religious and ethnic groups backing
the former Vice- President and lending their support to the
restructuring call.
However , as correct as Atiku might be on the need to restructure
Nigeria, political pundits believe it was just like a big bait by an
“ experienced politician ” who has his eyes on the 2019
presidential election.
Meanwhile, whether the former Vice- President’ s intentions are
genuine or not , several people have called on the President
Muhammadu Buhari- led administration to listen to the people’s
call for restructuring , which happens to feature in the party’s
manifesto .
Some have also called for the implementation of the report of the
2014 National Conference , convened by former President
Goodluck Jonathan, believing that it could address major issues
affecting the country , including revenue allocation , resource
control and insecurity.
However , President Buhari has not budged an inch. Rather , he
has insinuated that rather than restructuring , it is the fight
against corruption and insecurity that are on his agenda .
Perhaps more surprising to some Nigerians was the quietness of
the National Leader of the All Progressives Congress, Asiwaju
Bola Tinubu , on the restructuring subject , particularly because
he was its foremost proponent while he was at the defunct
Action Congress of Nigeria.
Nevertheless , in the twinkling of an eye , the former Lagos State
governor came out of his shell last Sunday , stating that
restructuring would bring the much needed balance to the
country .
He had said , “ We may be defined by political borders and
boundaries but we have not glued ourselves to collective purpose
and vision . Too many of us are born in Nigeria but not of it.
Thus, our society is not a collective enterprise as important to
each of us as our own personal endeavour . It is a platform, an
arena, to claim whatever one can by whatever means available .
“ It would be better to restructure things to attain the correct
balance between our collective purpose on [the ] one hand and
our separate grass roots realities on the other . We must listen to
what is being said so that we can determine what is really
meant . ”
More surprisingly , barely 24 hours after the call by Tinubu , a
born - again advocate of restructuring, two northern groups , the
Arewa Consultative Forum and the Northern Elders ’ Forum,
known for their diehard positions on restructuring, retreated .
While the NEF said the North was now open to dialogue , the ACF
said it would respect Nigerians ’ views on a structure of
government that would strengthen the unity and peaceful
coexistence of Nigerians for equitable development .
Even though political observers said the U- turn of the political
class on restructuring was a welcome development , they
cautioned that it might be a ploy by them to garner votes in the
upcoming elections.
Lagos- based lawyer and political commentator , Mr. Adebayo
Osho, advised the citizens on trusting politicians on the new
recent calls for restructuring.
He said it was time the people were able to distinguish between
genuine and mere political statements .
He said , “ Now that we are seeing a wave of pro- restructuring
statements by those who once despised it, I think we have to be
very careful not to allow these politicians swindle us again . I
believe they are using it as bait to obtain our favour again . What
they are saying is correct , but we must beware of hypocrisy .
They are hypocrites .
“ I believe it’s because they know 2019 is fast approaching ; they
are trying to make us vote for them . It ’s not that they didn’ t
know that’s what the country needs , they knew all along , but
they just didn ’t want to do it because it wouldn ’t favour them .
“ My only advice is that people should be wary of promises with
no genuineness by the political class. Anybody can say anything ,
but will they do it? Restructuring is truly important and we need
it, but we must not allow some politicians to think we are fools. ”
Also in her opinion , the Executive Director of Abuja- based Social
Justice for Women , Mrs . Janet Olukokun , said the U- turn of the
political elite on restructuring could be another act of trickery .
She also cautioned the people not to trust “ mere words” by
politicians who have no genuine intention to serve the country .
She said , “ I am of the opinion that the new calls are not genuine.
Could it be that they are just realising that Nigeria needs to
restructure ? Why didn’ t groups like the NEF and ACF talk to
their son [President Buhari ] to do what the people want all
along? Are they just waking up from their sleep ?
“ Did Tinubu also just wake up from his sleep ? Being a national
leader of his party, he could have been voicing out, reminding
the President all along that since they promised Nigerians
restructuring in the first place, they should have acted on it. But
I think his new statement is hypocritical.
“ As for me , I think it’ s too late to trust their genuineness ; of
course , we all know that now that 2019 is approaching , they
would be scheming , looking for how they could get the people’s
votes. They know we want restructuring , so they could be
thinking , ‘These people want this, let us tell them we will give
them what they want . ’
“ Meanwhile, it is the citizens who should be more careful . By
now , we should be able to judge between a politician who is self -
seeking and one who is not . It is not in words we should believe
in our politicians, it is by their actions . ”
London- based public policy analyst and social commentator , Mr.
Joseph Bamidele, also told our correspondent via LinkedIn that
the U- turn of the political class on restructuring should be taken
with a pinch of salt.
He said it was suspicious that they were now speaking in favour
of restructuring when they could have done so a long time ago .
He said , “ We should be suspicious; even President Buhari had
been reluctant to do anything about calls for restructuring until
recently when his party said it had set up a panel to look into it.
I asked myself when they did so , ‘Is restructuring a party’s
affairs or a Nigerian affair ?’ Why did they need to set up a
panel on something they promised in their manifesto ? Isn ’t that
ridiculous?
“ They know they get away with all these things and that’s why
they do them . Look at the Peoples Democratic Party also talking
about restructuring . Is it now they all realised Nigeria needs it?
What were they doing while they were in government for 16
good years ? When former President Goodluck Jonathan
conducted the National Conference , why didn’t he at least try to
implement part of the report before leaving office ?
“ Look , everything is a game of deceit . Our politicians are
deceitful , they are not sincere . Every one of them says what he
thinks the people want to hear , and because most of us are also
easily bamboozled , we take every of their words hook , line , and
sinker . I think we should be more careful this time around. Let
them do what the people want first and we will believe them . ”
In an interview with our correspondent , a Senior Advocate of
Nigeria, Chief Robert Clarke, also asked the citizens to be wary of
the political class , stating that they were the greatest enemies of
the country .
He said , “ The English man says politics is an art of deceit . The
better you can deceive , the better a politician you are . As far as I
am concerned , I don ’t believe in politicians. They are one of the
greatest enemies this country has , but they are a necessary evil.
“ A generality of them are deceitful . My advice is that we should
have a system of governance that will not give much powers to
these politicians, power should reside with the people and the
only way out is to write out a new constitution where the
instruments of true democracy are well entrenched . ” http://punchng.com/2019-hypocrisy-of-political-class-on-restructuring-unmasked/ 1 Like |
Re: Did Tinubu Also Just Wake Up From His Sleep? by Paperwhite(m): 12:15pm On Sep 30, 2017 |
Tinubu just regretted his choice of Buhari as things didnt work out the way he anticipated it.Hence he is seriously scheming another way out so decided to relaunch himself back to reckoning via the restructuring concept. 1 Like |
Re: Did Tinubu Also Just Wake Up From His Sleep? by CharlotteFlair: 12:36pm On Sep 30, 2017 |
Paperwhite:Well too bad for him. He is stuck with his leprous choice because he has no where else to go. Even if he registers a new party, only Aregbesola will go with him because he has lost most of his strongest foot soldiers. 1 Like |
Re: Did Tinubu Also Just Wake Up From His Sleep? by Nobody: 12:37pm On Sep 30, 2017 |
I didn't read the tread o...but that issue can never work |
Re: Did Tinubu Also Just Wake Up From His Sleep? by Nobody: 1:22pm On Sep 30, 2017 |
At least the man is saying something against his own party 2 Likes |
Re: Did Tinubu Also Just Wake Up From His Sleep? by sunnyb0b0(m): 1:29pm On Sep 30, 2017 |
Paperwhite: He thought Bubu would kpai in office so they'd get into Aso rock via the back door but God pass them. |
Re: Did Tinubu Also Just Wake Up From His Sleep? by SweetJoystick(m): 2:14pm On Sep 30, 2017 |
He just woke up from a long sleep |
Re: Did Tinubu Also Just Wake Up From His Sleep? by Basic123: 4:54pm On Sep 30, 2017 |
At least he has talk. He only thought before acting unlike some people who act before thinking and call it bravery. |
Re: Did Tinubu Also Just Wake Up From His Sleep? by cryptohaven: 5:29pm On Sep 30, 2017 |
Re: Did Tinubu Also Just Wake Up From His Sleep? by Nobody: 6:27pm On Sep 30, 2017 |
Don't be deceived. These people just want to make people believe that they aren't opposed to restructuring. APC will use restructuring to campaign in 2019 just to slot in that vegetable President. Don't be deceived. Tinubu is playing to the galley just as Gej used the confab and pib to campaign. |
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