Nigeria: Coronavirus pandemic, is it time to re-evaluate the political structure?

Elder Statesman Alhaji Tanko Yakasai, and Adamu Jauro Garba II, Founder and Group CEO of IPI Group converged on Friday, to brainstorm the impact of the Coronavirus on the nation’s economy and whether the current political structure is addressing the problem.
The conference was held on May 15, 2020 through video conference and titled,” The Coronavirus pandemic, is it time to re-evaluate the political structure?”
Covid-19: Turning a crisis into opportunities series is being organised by Governance Index – a Social Enterprise dedicated to promoting purposeful leadership around the world.
In a statement signed by the Director of Information, Maazi Tochukwu Ezeoke, the group stated that the outbreak of the Novel Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) in China has rapidly permeated and profoundly changed the world.
“The crisis offers us an opportunity to ask: is our current federal system of governance fit for purpose?
“The conference explored the lessons we could learn from the covid-19 crisis and whether it presents us with an opportunity to revisit and re-evaluate the structure of government for the benefit of our people”.

Let’s go back to the 1963 Constitution – Tanko Yakasai
…blames Jonathan for non-implementation of 2014 Conference
…the current constitution is not working says APC Chairman in UK
Elder statesman, Alhaji Tanko Yakasai has sworn to gladly support re-introduction of the 1963 constitution to replace the 1999 Constitution currently practiced in the country.
Yakasai made this known at a virtual conference organised by Governance Index, and titled: “The Coronavirus pandemic, is it time to re-evaluate the political structure?”
The 94 years old Elder Statesman said that the current Constitution is not working and kicked against insinuation that the current arrangement favours the North.
Yakasai further urged sponsors of restructuring to put their ideas in a “black and white paper” so that other people can reason along with them adding that he is not afraid of restructuring.
At the video conbference held on Friday, Yakasai said, ” I am not afraid of restructuring, what am saying is that I want to know from the sponsors of this idea what we need to put down for Nigerians. I don’t see any reason to be afraid, I have never been afraid of an idea that I find does not tally with mine. I will propose mine, and if something is wrong, is not working, it is for him to articulate a substitute in place of the one that is not working.
“Nigeria has been operating this federation for more than 60 years even before we gained independence. Now, if we can operate something for 60 years and that thing is not working, is it not fair to tell the people that this is why we feel the thing is not working?
“I will tell you something probably, you never heard of, why my late friend (Anthony Enahoro), did not succeed in selling his 8 points agenda because he was asking for 8 Republics. He called them Republics, not regions, not states, each republic will have his own Military establishment, Police, Judiciary and other things, and we saw that as a manoeuvre by some elements among our minority groups to turn the situation in favour of them.
“In my own opinion , even if they will turn the situation to favour them, they have a duty to come out and tell the people that would be affected how they will benefit from their own programme, up till now, people are saying restructuring is good, they have never told anybody what is the benefit of restructuring, I swear to God , I will support going back to 1963 constitution, but I don’t want to take people for granted that under the present arrangement that the North will have advantage in terms of representation in National Assembly, enough of that , we are talking about the future of our children, grandchildren, future generation of this country.”
He said that there have been occasions where the North discussed the issue of restructuring imploring the sponsors of the restructuring to publish a white paper in the media for people to read what restructuring will look like.
Speaking about the 2014 National Conference, Yakasai said that the Conference was initiated by former President Goodluck Jonathan and he expected the former President to come up with a white paper that when anybody takes over, there will be a ready white paper for him to consider.
“The 2014 Conference was initiated by former President Goodluck Jonathan, I happened to be in that conference, till today or tomorrow, I have never been against Jonathan, I fought for him, when he has never met me, I only met him three times , two times in Public and only once privately on a different matter. But, I am surprised that Jonathan did not initiate a white paper summary of the recommendations of the Conference and submit it as a document of the Government that set it up, so that when anybody takes over, it has a white paper well prepared for him.”
Speaking at the Virtual conference, the Chairman of the All Progressive Congress (UK) chapter, Dr. Philip Ideawor lamented that the present structure is not working because there is too much power at the centre adding that every part of Nigeria has the potential to become wealthy if properly governed.
He said, “The present structure is not working because power is exceedingly concentrated at the centre, every part of Nigeria has the potential to become wealthy and contribute to the overall good of Nigeria.
“Nigeria has responsibility to become a global start for all black people.”

Nigeria’s federal structure is not working for the North – Ex- APC Presidential Aspirant
Former All Progressive Congress (APC), Presidential Aspirant, Adamu Jauro Garba II has disclosed that the current federal structure is not working for the country.
The former Presidential Aspirant who made this known at a video Conference meeting organised by The Governance Index called for the decentralization of Police force, Education and Health Sector in the country.
Adamu, Founder and Group CEO of IPI Group joined the elder Statesman Alhaji Tanko Yakasai, Friday, to brainstorm the impact of the Coronavirus on the nation’s economy and whether the current political structure is addressing the problem.
Adamu said that the current structure is not working for anybody in the country especially for the northern part of the country adding that the very few people benefit from the current system in the country at the moment because the country is running a highly centralized system.
He said that infrastructures that should enable productivity at the states level are not in place as the every state is looking up to the center for the “national cake”.
He said, “The system is not working for everybody, the North is greatly impoverished. We are more disadvantaged than the South West, South East and South South of this country, you may not have political distribution, but when it comes to the distribution of right policy that enable people to function at full capacity, we are the most disadvantaged.
“The issue of restructuring has been highly politicized, we should be reorganizing strategically, silent by decentralized Security first, and we can then begin to have some level of resource control not complete resources control.”
Talking about decentralization of security, he said the decision of the state governors to create Vigilante groups in their various states is an opportunity to come up with a law that will decentralize the police.
He however said that the Police should not be allowed to be under the Control of Governors, but should be under the Federal Judicial System.
According to him, we can use this opportunity for Police to operate at the state level under the Commissioner of Police, meanwhile this policing system will not be accountable to Governors, but to a Federal Judicial system.
The conference held on May 15, 2020 through video conference was titled,” The Coronavirus pandemic, is it time to re-evaluate the political structure?”
Covid-19: Turning a crisis into opportunities series is being organised by Governance Index – a Social Enterprise dedicated to promoting purposeful leadership around the world.

Tanko Yakasai: I know Buhari is not competent, he has proven it
Alhaji Tanko Yakasai has disclosed that he has never supported Muhammadu Buhari since when he had been contesting to be President because he is aware Buhari is not competent
The Elder statesman added that the past five years of Buhari administration has proven him correct.
Yakasai made this known while appearing at the video Conference organized by Governance index on Friday which was attended by close to 100 participants across the globe.
He said President Buhari is yet to prove him wrong that he is competent to coordinate the affairs of the country.
Yakasai said, “I have never supported Buhari, I have been against him, because I felt he was not competent to handle the job, and I have been proven right.”
He said when President Muhammadu Buhari was elected, he was hoping that he will be able to at least fix the power and this is his 5th years in office and nothing has been done to address the issue of electricity in the country.
Yakasai said, ” President Muhammadu Buhari was elected , I was hoping at least we will get stable power all over the country, this is his fifth years, has only two more active years , the last one year will be for election.
“I don’t know what are his plans, when will Kano get electricity to restore its industrial might, so that every man in Kano will be able to gainfully employed as a result of provision in Kano, likewise in Enugu, Lagos etc…, those are the key issues from the time when Buhari was elected till date, it is enough to have regional electricity supply, so that small and medium scales Industries will pick up, and people Will get job and get money to feed their families.”

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