Elder statesman and a former Secretary General of Commonwealth, Chief Emeka Anyaoku, has stated that the 2014 National Conference was a waste of time and energy as it failed to address key issues affecting the nation.
He called on the current government under the leadership of President Muhammadu Buhari to consider regionalizing the country into the current six geo-political zones for national and economic development.
“The 2014 National Conference is not the answer to the restructuring that Nigeria needs”, Anyaoku said.
He also enjoined the youths on the need to mobilize for the restructuring of the country.
“You should mobilize and channel some of your youthful enthusiasm into clamoring for a restructuring of the country’s governance architecture”, he said.
Anyaoku, who spoke during the 2016 United Nations International Youth Day, held at University of Lagos, said: “The restructuring that I am advocating for proposes no threat to Nigeria’s unity.
“On the contrary, it is the continuation of the ongoing agitation in different parts of the country which is encouraged by the present governing structure that will most probably lead to the undoing of Nigeria’s unity.”
According to him, some elements in the recommendations of the 2014 conference, such as those pertaining to state police and physical arrangements, were steps in the right direction.
He added that “the proposals that the conference adopted that there should be 54 states completely negates the idea of a vibrant federalism in a country with the history of ethnically and religiously diversity as Nigeria.
“I have maintained since 2005 on the basis of my over ten years experience with governance in over 50 countries of the Commonwealth that Nigeria cannot attain political stability and its desire of national and social-economic development unless it restructures its existing governance architecture.”
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