Restructuring: Kwara governor advocates expanded middle class, egalitarianism

The Kwara State Governor, Abdulfatah Ahmed, has called for special focus on political economy in the quest for true federalism in Nigeria in order to ensure class elevation and egalitarianism.

Mr. Ahmed who made the call on Monday in Ilorin at the All Progressives Congress, North Central Zonal Public Meeting on True Federalism, maintained that the core of the current agitation for true federalism or restructuring is a drive towards redistributing resources in an equitable manner.

According to Mr. Ahmed, “this dialogue should explore ways of ensuring the greatest good for the greatest number of our people. That, to me, is what we must address our minds to within the context of our federation or any other structure that we may come up with”.

Mr. Ahmed said any structure that meets the economic, and political aspirations of the majority of citizens will be welcomed.

“The nationwide dialogue by APC on true federalism”, the governor said, “connects with its expressed commitment to making governance more meaningful to the people by changing the way people are governed, especially in terms of access to and allocation of resources”.

Also speaking, the Osun State Governor, Rauf Aregbesola, said the APC set up the committee on true federalism as a way of aggregating the views of Nigerians on how the nation should be governed.

Governor Aregbesola who is a member of the committee said the party made the concerted effort of robust discussion in moving the country forward rather than imposing on Nigerians.

In his message, the Niger State Governor, Sani Bello, said the state had garnered the opinions of its stakeholders and resolved to commit to issues of national development.

Governor Bello who was represented by his Special Adviser on Political Matters, Solomon Nyaze, said the state is not in support of division of the country but for policies that will promote national unity and devolution of power.

Various speakers from labour unions, traditional councils, community development associations, professional bodies, marketers, youth and religious groups agreed on the unity of the country, independent candidacy, devolution of power and local government autonomy but rejected the idea of creating new states.