Why Nigeria needs true federalism now, by Opadokun, others

A prominent Awoist, lawyer and chieftain of the National Democratic Coalition (NADECO), Chief Ayo Opadokun; a leader of Atayese, Chief Tokunbo Ajasin and Secretary-General of Coalition of Yoruba self-determination groups, Dr. Steve Abioye, have stressed the need for restructuring of the country to reflect true federalism.

They spoke at a lecture with the theme, “Federalism vs Unitarism: Nigeria Must Choose One Before 2023 Elections,” organised by the Coalition of Yoruba self-determination groups held at the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) Press Centre, Iyaganku, Ibadan, Oyo State, at the weekend.

Opadokun said: “There are three broad divisions in Yorubaland. The first group is composed of people who believe that the imperative course to solving Nigeria’s multi-faceted existential problem is to return to the Independence Constitutional Governance of 1960.

“The second group consists of those who passionately believe that election is the sure solution to the current national crises.

“The third group comprises those who have legitimate conviction that an Oduduwa Republic is the only solution to the contemptuous and humiliating experience the Yoruba offspring had to contend with in a country where our forebears played prominent roles in its Independence struggle and have to be treated with respect and decency.”

He said that Nigeria like Germany, Argentina, Canada, Brazil Iraq, India, Malaysia, Russia, Pakistan, America and others must now be a federation of regions.

Meanwhile, Ajasin, who lamented that Nigeria is operating a unitary system, said: “What we have now is unitary system. No restructuring, no election has been our mantra and we are the first group to say that.

Also, Secretary-General of the coalition, Abioye, said anything outside true federalism in Nigeria is a ruse.