The immediate past National Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Attahiru Jega, has advocated a short-term restructuring before the next general election to address myriads of challenges confronting the country.

Jega, however, accused the executive and legislative arms of the Federal Government of treating the restructuring issue with levity.

He said that both arms of the Federal government “were not serious in making the restructuring a reality as the two arms of the government had been treating the restructuring with levity.

The former university Don said this at the 2021 Public Lecture of the Achievers University, Owo, Ondo State.

The lecture was entitled, ‘Towards stabilizing the Nigeria Federation.’

Jega said that “there seem to be lack of political will on the part of those who are at the helm of affairs in the nation’s executive and legislative arms of government.

“In the present circumstances, as necessary and desirable as restructuring is, a number of challenges would have to be overcome to successfully bring it about.

“First, passion has been inflamed and allowed to circumscribe the discourses of restructuring, resulting in the emergence of hardened antagonistic positions, which if allowed to persist, would make reconciliation and consensus building very difficult indeed, if not impossible.

“The perceptions of exclusion, marginalization and exploitation are so deep-seated that they nurture and deepen divisions, polarisation and illogical if not irrational agitations by
extremist groups.

“In the circumstances, conversation, debate and dialogue are, if at all, conducted at cross purposes, obstructive of accommodation of differing opinions and the pursuit of a rational and logical process of consensus-building and bringing about desirable restructuring of the Nigerian federation.

“Second, in the governance sphere, at both the federal executive and legislative levels, the political will and competence seem lacking for the pursuit of credible and popularly acceptable procedures and processes of bringing about appropriate and desirable restructuring.

“The executive seems to take a back seat in the belief that restructuring is purely a legislative matter, into which it should not dabble, thereby failing to provide the requisite, proactive leadership for driving the agenda and process of restructuring.

“On its part, the legislature seems to take an overly legalistic posture, impatient with, and indifferent to, calls for transparent, inclusive and people-oriented strategies for achieving
popularly acceptable restructuring.

“A broadly participatory, inclusive and responsive process would lend greater legitimacy to the end product of any restructuring and constitutional amendment processes.

“Regrettably, members of the National Assembly have failed to recognize the desirability of doing this.

“Third, rather than prioritizing restructuring and focusing on addressing the key discernible challenges to power-sharing and resources distribution/allocation amongst the subnational, federating units, the legislature pursues a comprehensive/ wholesale constitutional amendment process, with many contentious issues taken on board simultaneously.

“This makes the process time consuming, overly contentious and controversial, and susceptible to filibuster, and likely derailment of the entire undertaking.

“Fourth, leaving the very important business of restructuring until very close to the next general elections has its own challenges, given that Nigerian politicians tend to shy away from taking tough decisions in the national interest, especial on seemingly controversial issues, too close to general elections.”

Jega, however, expressed optimism that restructuring could be achieved if the stakeholders could do the needful, advocating a short-term restructuring before the 2023 general election.

“In spite of the challenges, the prospects of restructuring are not as hopeless as some would assume them to be.

“Nigeria needs stability and increased legitimacy for elected officials in governance; needs good governance, better nurtured and deepened democratic development; and needs economic growth and socio-economic development.

“For all these, better management of ethnoreligious diversity on the basis of rule of law, justice, equity and equality of opportunity, is a necessary precondition.

“That is what a federal arrangement is meant to ensure, but it is not, if truth is to be told, what the current federal structure and practice of federalism in Nigeria provide.

“Rather, it ensures an asymmetrical and unequal distribution of power and allocation of resources between the national government and the subnational units, the states.

“Therefore, some form of restructuring in the short-term, before the next general elections in 2023 to reverse the trend and reposition Nigeria as a viable and effective federation, is necessary.

“One can say without any fear of contradiction that there is at least an elite consensus on the fact that the current Nigerian federal arrangement isn’t optimally working; that indeed it is dysfunctional and needs improvement.

“Where consensus seems lacking is on the nature and extent of restructuring to be undertaken before the next general elections in 2023.

“If only our elected leaders would try harder, with courage and strong political will, consensus can and should emerge on the thorny issues about the nature and extent of restructuring.

Jega noted that “It may be difficult but it would not be impossible to commence, and achieve some form of desirable restructuring of the Nigerian federation before the 2023 general elections.”

https://www.vanguardngr.com/2021/11/lets-have-short-term-restructuring-before-2023-election-%e2%80%95-prof-jega/

I wish we can go back to regional mode of governance...

Lalasticlala what is short-term restructuring?

And Jega na Prof

tolue42:
I wish we can go back to regional mode of governance...

That's the first then allow people chose which region to belong to that's the ultimate solution

As long as southern kaduna is in north west there won't be peace

Obigbo in south south there won't be peace

Nigeria of God...

What election?

[img]https://media1./images/becc1f4915e1148b9d33977ce4fb9c02/tenor.gif?itemid=21274393[/img]

this guy was one of the persons who brought this calamity on us

I am yet to see a selfless leader that will champion this cause. Is it Tinubu of southwest or Ike Ekweremadu of Southeast, David Mark of Middle belt, Rochas, Tambuwa etc that will pray for restructuring?

Will This Country Ever Be Great Again?

[s]

triple996:
We no want

Biafra or death .
Esn have resumed 4rm their short holiday.
The killing most continue.
Igbo land must burn to ashes.
Burn vehicles
Burn houses
Burn shops
Burn human being join(igbos)
Shoot police
Shoot soldier
Shoot vigilante
If bullets hit innocent people them no care
Infact shoot innocent people join sef.
Biafra must burn 4 it to b actualized .
Send online trolls to support them and call all the atrocities fake news or dss.
Buhari and the north must feel d pain of our people getting destroyed by us.
Forget kanu, he is a necessary sacrifice 4 d greater biafra, so let him rot in cell. The fight must continue. We must continue to kill to b taken serious ( wether igbos, sabos or other Nigerians)
BIAFRA OR DEATH

[/s]

Jega should keep kwayet abeg.. he's de one that took us back to stone ages.. even to cook with firewood now is expensive.. thunder wen go fire una still de do press up

Well said

tolue42:
I wish we can go back to regional mode of governance...

It is Igbos that scuttle that, it is that hopeless Azikwe that remove secession Clause from the Constitution and even declare it as treason, because they thought they will be in Power forever.

Is it not surprising they are the one at the fore front of secession now? They must suffer it, no Biafra for them, they all stay in one Nigeria forever.

Nonsense and 5%

People with functioning brain making sound suggestions but unfortunately, it will be dead on arrival as usual because the man at top will not even understand his suggestion.

Good suggestion, but the northern oligarchy will not accept it

7m

I will eat they fruits of my labour
Nigeria will be Great again
National cake �

triple996:
We no want

Biafra or death .
Esn have resumed 4rm their short holiday.
The killing most continue.
Igbo land must burn to ashes.
Burn vehicles
Burn houses
Burn shops
Burn human being join(igbos)
Shoot police
Shoot soldier
Shoot vigilante
If bullets hit innocent people them no care
Infact shoot innocent people join sef.
Biafra must burn 4 it to b actualized .
Send online trolls to support them and call all the atrocities fake news or dss.
Buhari and the north must feel d pain of our people getting destroyed by us.
Forget kanu, he is a necessary sacrifice 4 d greater biafra, so let him rot in cell. The fight must continue. We must continue to kill to b taken serious ( wether igbos, sabos or other Nigerians)
BIAFRA OR DEATH

meth on the beat

sounds good

Jega has turned to a political activist since he succeeded in conniving with the APC cabal to impose Buhari on us

But we won't forget easily

mrvitalis:

That's the first then allow people chose which region to belong to that's the ultimate solution

As long as southern kaduna is in north west there won't be peace

Obigbo in south south there won't be peace

The people at the helms of affairs are our problem and no thanks to the blind brainwashed followers followers

Jega roles in rigging in Buhari in 2015 will trouble him forever. He is always looking for a way to restitute his actions.

Wish one is short term Restructuring again biko.

If they want to restructure, let them do so. They should stop confusing themselves

triple996:
We no want

Biafra or death .
Esn have resumed 4rm their short holiday.
The killing most continue.
Igbo land must burn to ashes.
Burn vehicles
Burn houses
Burn shops
Burn human being join(igbos)
Shoot police
Shoot soldier
Shoot vigilante
If bullets hit innocent people them no care
Infact shoot innocent people join sef.
Biafra must burn 4 it to b actualized .
Send online trolls to support them and call all the atrocities fake news or dss.
Buhari and the north must feel d pain of our people getting destroyed by us.
Forget kanu, he is a necessary sacrifice 4 d greater biafra, so let him rot in cell. The fight must continue. We must continue to kill to b taken serious ( wether igbos, sabos or other Nigerians)
BIAFRA OR DEATH

No dey make noise here carry your gun go face Aso rock , the death go be easy for you that way

See trap.
U love entertainment? Check my Siggy.

Those at the helm are doing nothing other than simply wishing that the problems will go ahead

Unfortunately you can't wish Boko Haram away, you can't wish bandits and kidnappers away, and you can't wish the agitators away