Vice President Yemi Osinbanjo has cleared the air on the controversies that greeted his recent comment on the call for restructuring Nigeria.
The number two had been quoted recently as saying the country does not need restructuring but diversification.
In a live interview with TVC’s Journalist Hangout crew, Osinbajo said he was quoted out of context. He stated that he remains a strong believer of fiscal federalism but cautioned that restructuring Nigeria is a huge concept that requires a long process.
His words “Let me explain in details, the issue of restructuring Nigeria is a major concept that requires long process, more importantly, constitutional review. I have always been an advocate of fiscal federalism where states will have financial autonomy. What we need presently is diversification and not restructuring.
“ Even as an Attorney general of Lagos state, I have led legal team advocating for fiscal federalism up to the Supreme Court, but Nigeria must be diversified in such as a way that each state is financially independent without unnecessarily depending on the federal Allocation. Even if the current share of the federal government from the federation account is given to the states, it can’t still be enough because the revenue has significantly reduced owing to the fall in oil prices. So we should consider diversifying Nigeria rather than restructuring”
On the incessant attacks by the Fulani herdsmen, Osinbajo said President Muhammadu Buhari has unequivocally condemned the acts and ordered the security operatives to deal decisively with anyone carrying arms and ammunition illegally.
Reacting to the 2014 National Confab, Osinbajo said there are some of the aspects of the reports that can be quickly implemented and even already been implemented. “Issues like fiscal federalism raised in the Confab is already been considered and more will still be implemented. Contrary to reports in some quarters, the federal government is considering the reports and will implement as many it considers implementable.”
