Fasoranti, Adebanjo, Akintoye, others renew call for restructuring
The Yoruba Summit Group, an umbrella body for all Yoruba groups, yesterday, lamented the state of the nation, and therefore, restated the need for restructuring Nigeria fiscally and structurally before the general elections.
This was contained in a communique signed by Mogaji Gboyega Adejumo for Chief Ayo Fasoranti, Chief Ayo Adebanjo, Prof. Banji Akintoye, His Royal Highness, ỌOba Dipo Olaitan, Aare Iba Gani Adams, Dr. Olufemi Adegoke, Basorun Seinde Arogbofa and Chief (Mrs.) Kofoworola Bucknor-Akerele, among others.
The group, which lamented the killing of Tolulope Arotile, demanded a full-scale independent investigation by an inclusive panel of experts. It also noted that the preponderance of permutations for 2023 presidency, zoning and selection, rather than addressing the nature of the Nigerian union, should be a thing of concern.
The communiqué stated: “For this moment and for a future uncertain, for posterity and the prescient nature of our wisdom in foretelling a coming catastrophe, we the Yoruba have come to this irreducible, irreplaceable conclusions that the ship of state is veering off precariously into a precipice, and that Nigeria is at the very edge of a political subsidence.
“We are persuaded that nothing short of restructuring can save this country. Any attempt to go ahead with elections in 2023 without addressing the issue of restructuring would spell doom for Nigeria. Notwithstanding the interests of some elements in our midst, it would be presumptuous to assume that the masses of the educated Yoruba Nation will dive headlong into being part of the 2023 elections when all elements of its execution – the military, paramilitary, INEC and the judiciary – have been rigged and appropriated by a single very tiny minority ethnic group in a small corner of the country.
“The emerging resolve of the Yoruba not to be part of vassal state that Nigeria has become, is better managed with due accommodation before any further degeneration and obvious consequences. Our quest shall henceforth be to mobilise the masses of our people not to participate in any further elections until the goal of restructuring or self-determination is attained.
“The Yoruba Nation is, therefore, making the clarion call for confidence building steps to be taken by the Buhari regime immediately, especially as the historic 60th anniversary of Nigeria as an independent nation beckons on October 1, 2020.
“Steps toward an urgent meeting of all nationalities have to be taken now to determine the nature of our relationships. Unless this peaceful step is heeded to, so that Nigeria will head in the right direction thereafter, the clear alternative would be for self-determination quests to proceed rapidly without any further restraint.”It has become patently untenable for the Yoruba Nation to tolerate further incompetence and impunity as has been foisted on all other ethnic nationalities across Nigeria.”
