By Harry Awurumibe, Editor, Abuja Bureau
With the eight-point demands of the 17 Southern Governors on President Muhammadu Buhari, including the convocation of a national dialogue, still generating debate, Ondo State Governor Rotimi Akeredolu has thrown more light on the demands.
Akeredolu who was nominated by his colleagues to read the communiqué of the meeting which lasted for an hour and half (1.30 and 3pm) on Tuesday in Asaba, Delta State, explained that there are nothing wrong in the demands of the 17 Southern Governors on Tuesday.
Speaking Wednesday on Channels Television breakfast programme ‘Sunrise Daily’, Akeredolu insisted that the clamour for national dialogue to discuss the national question could not have come at a better time than now with the spate of insecurity across every region of Nigeria.
He also argued that: “there is nothing wrong in the demands of
Southern Governors for the Restructuring of Nigeria. I sincerely believe there must be a national dialogue for us to meet to determine how to amend the Constitution”.
Reminded that the
call for the Convocation of National Dialogue which will lead to Constitutional Amendments may not see the light of day when the National Assembly is still in place,
Akeredolu said every option is on the table to ensure that Nigerians come on the round table to dialogue on the future of the country.
Akeredolu who is also a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) hinted the Governors have discussed the implications of the demands and are favourably disposed to foot the bills of their states’ representatives to the National Dialogue in Abuja.
“If Mohammed does not go to the mountain, the mountain will go to the mountain. In this case we are aware that the National Assembly is in Abuja and the Governors are ready to sponsor their states’ representatives to go to Abuja to dialogue with the National Assembly so that we can Amend the Constitution”, he said.
Prompt News reports Governors of the 17 Southern states on Tuesday in Asaba, joined the fray by calling for the convocation of a national dialogue as a matter of urgency.
The meeting was attended by 13 Governors and two Deputy Governors who represented their principals while two Governors, Adegboyega Oyetola (Osun), who is in Saudi Arabia for the lesser hajj, and Ben Ayade (Cross River) were absent from the parley.
It was the first time the Governors of Southern region of Nigeria are holding
such meeting since President Buhari dispensation.
Among the important decisions taken at Asaba meeting include the need for “urgent and bold steps” to restructure the country; the need for President Muhammadu to address the nation on the growing insecurity in the country and how he plans to arrest it and the enforcement of the ban on open grazing in the South, including preventing movement of cows “on foot” from the North.
The Southern Governors also recommended that in deference to the sensitivities of the various peoples of the country, there was a need to review appointments into Federal Government agencies (including security agencies) to reflect federal character as Nigeria’s overall population is heterogenous.
