NIGERIA’S PRESENT STRUCTURE HASN’T WORKED FOR MORE THAN 30YRS, DELTA STATE PDP CHIEFTAIN ONUESOKE LAMENTS

Delta State Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chieftain, Chief Sunny Onuesoke has advised for the restructuring of the country in the pattern of a true federalism. Speaking in Lagos, Onuesoke posited that restructuring Nigeria will considerably reduce corruption as the control of resources substantially shifts to the Federating Units which create the resources.

Onuesoke pointed out that major reason for the scramble for power at the center is removed in the proposed structure, thus making it less attractive for those with selfish and less than noble intents.

The PDP chieftain noted that complete control of resources and revenue at the Federal level also encourages corruption and lack of accountability, adding that it also contributes to ethnic politics and regional sub-optimization at the expense of the entire country.

He affirmed that the current arrangement where power and resource control are almost exclusively concentrated at the center is defective and does not engender stability or economic progress.

His words: “This structure has been tried for more than 30 years and has not worked. So, why not effect a change and seek out more progressive structures that are indigenous to our culture and value systems?” Onuesoke who said Nigeria has been a federal state since 1954, but has not been able to attain the basic requirement of federalism explained that restructuring Nigeria will ensure equal participation in economic life of our people, encourage healthy economic competition among Federating Units or Regions and thus usher in an era of economic prosperity for all.

He decried the situation where the annual budgetary total capital allocation for South-South, South East and South West regions which are productive do not come close to the allocation of North Central regional alone, stressing that rather each region should reap from what they sow.”