By Dayo Johnson, Akure

Ekiti State governor, Biodun Oyebanji, has advocated for the return to the 1963 constitution in order to ensure true federalism and guarantee peaceful co-existence among tiers of government in the country.

Oyebanji, while faulting federalism as being practiced presently in Nigeria said ” restructuring is the call for a more perfect union that is just, fair, equitable and functional.

” Restructuring is a holistic surgery for the healthy living of the country for a more effective, balanced, prosperous and peaceful nation that guarantees happiness for all.

Oyebanji said this in a paper entitled “Reawakening the Restructuring Debate: Setting a National Rebirth Agenda” delivered in Akure, the Ondo State capital during a book presentation titled ‘Aketi: The courage to lead in trying time” written in honor of Governor Rotimi Akeredolu’ by a Journalist, Prince Ebenezer Adeniyan.

Speaking through the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Dr Abibat Omolara Adubiaro, the governor said the word ‘restructuring’ has been long belaboured to the point of cliché in our sociopolitical lexicon as a nation.

According to him “the clamour for ‘restructuring’ or return to ‘pure’ federalism has permanently been in public domain for over thirty years, even though agitation for it could date even longer.

Oyebanji said “in order to achieve true federalism; the return to 1963 Republican constitution before it was truncated by General Agunyi Ironsi’s regime would ensure that all the federating units live harmoniously in a country sharply divided by tribe, religion and politics.

“For me however, the call for restructuring is the call for a more perfect union that is just, fair, equitable and functional.

“I see restructuring as a holistic surgery for the healthy living of our country for a more effective, balanced, prosperous and peaceful nation that guarantees happiness for all.

“Even though it has been argued in some quarters that there is nothing like ‘true’ federalism and that the call for true federalism was a theoretical construct, I hold a contrary view.

“I do agree that every federal system is unique in its power relations between the federal government and the federating units, yet, it is correct to refer to the original federal arrangement as conceived in the 1963 republican constitution, in terms of power relations, as representing the “true” federal system for Nigeria.

” I do believe that our political independence forebears studied widely about all federal systems, reviewed our own unique situation and came up with what best suited and true to our socio-cultural and historical reality.

” For me, the challenge is the operationalization of the concept by the political establishments.”

Oyebanji blamed the insecurity in the country on inadequacy in personnel, poor condition of service, inadequate resources to work with, corruption, lack of local intelligence, lack of passion and commitment on the part of most security personnel because of disconnect with the locality in which they serve.

He argued that having state police would eradicate such challenges.

“Apart from the fact that the federal police are grossly inadequate in number, the motivation and morale is low because of poor condition of service.

” Furthermore, the issue of enforcement of state laws which are best suited to be enforced by the state or local police systems is another reason I am in support of multilevel policing.

“I am of the firm belief that any government that is incapable of policing its area of jurisdiction upon which it legislates and superintends, is a lame duck because security and welfare are fundamental rights of the citizens guaranteed by the 1999 Constitution (as amended).”

” lt is ridiculous that a state will have a state assembly that can legislate on concurrent and residual matters as ascribed by the constitution, can have a state judiciary to interpret its laws and administer justice within the state powers but cannot have police to enforce the law through its police authority.

“More so, with the new amendment that now makes Correctional Services concurrent, it will mean that there should be state-owned prisons and correctional centers which should be manned by state correctional officers.

” Will these officers be armed with just cudgels and batons? I ask this question because the greatest opposition to state police is the issue of arming them adequately to respond to attacks and for self-defense.

Oyebanji said that “The state correctional officers will have to be equipped with modern weapons like their federal counterparts to be effective and fit to discharge their duty.”

The state Deputy Governor, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, who represented the governor Akeredolu at the event, commended the author, noting that the governor is passionate about developing the state and providing enabling environment for investors to operate in the state.

Aiyedatiwa said that governor Akeredolu would continue to embark people-oriented programmes to make life better for the people and assured that the governor remained resolute on ensuring the state and South West remained un conducive for criminals.

The Minister of State for Transportation, Prince Ademola Adegoroye, who was the chief host at the launching, described Governor Akeredolu as a leader who’s concerned about the protection of the people.

He commended his efforts on providing security for lives and property in the state.

The author, Prince Adeniyan disclosed that he decided to write the book after his interface with the governor on February 11, 2021.

He said: “It was at a time Nigeria.was battling with a renewed ethnic agitations, which had become more pronounced in the South West.with secessionists clamouring for the birth of a Yoruba nation.

“The agitation had turned violent in some parts of the land, and Governor Akeredolu felt the need to douse the tension by explaining why the people of Yoruba must remain part of United Nigeria. He said we must make the country work for all Nigerians.

“It was there and then that I realised the need to document the great thoughts and actions of the governor into a book.”

The author, therefore, presented a cheque of N1million as part payment for the construction of a library in his Alma Matter, Adu Memorial Grammar School, Akure.

Reviewing the book, Senator-elect, Dr. Jimoh Ibrahim, described Akeredolu as an unaccompanied soldier who fight for the commoners in a hopeless society.

He said: “Aketi is a just leader in an unjust society. He is a hope in a hopeless society. He is an unaccompanied soldier in his quest to fight for the society. I can only wish him a success.”

Ibrahim noted that though Akeredolu isn’t a perfect leader, he is an acceptable leader.

“Aketi is an incomplete leader. You have to get to heaven to get a complete leader.

“For one reason, Aketi has weaknesses among his friends. Something unique about his leadership is that his weakness is lesser than his strength.

“To be an effective leader, go back and work on what your are not doing well.
He’s doing well in security. He may not completely agree with you in what he does. Aketi is a good leader. He fears God. He has collaborative trait.”

He, however, called on the author to begin his research on Aketi Leadership Series the project to which he donated N5 million.

The senator-elect also launched a copy of the book with N5 million for personal consumption, noting that after reading the book, he would contact the author to buy more copies.