Calls for restructuring selfish – Buhari

As Urhobo leaders give conditions to support his 2nd term bid

By Chesa Chesa

President Muhammadu Buhari on Monday declared that calls for the restructuring of the country were propelled more by selfish than national interests.

He also asserted that the views so far expressed on the issue were largely uncoordinated, and expressed doubts if they aligned with the letters of the Nigerian Constitution.

Buhari bared his mind at Aso Rock Presidential Villa when he received a delegation of Urhobo traditional rulers, executive members of the Urhobo Progress Union (UPU) and Urhobo members in the All Progressives Congress (APC), who paid him a courtesy visit.

He told the delegation that he was not excited by such calls, insisting that “every person or every group asking for restructuring have their own agenda and I hope it can be accommodated by the constitution we are currently running on”.

Stressing that he was not excited by such calls, the president however, assured the group that their own interests would be taken into consideration at the appropriate time.

Although the elder statesmen urged Buhari to take into cogisance the various calls for restructuring, the president told them that he was not interested in such ideas.

He nonetheless told them “I’m pleased you appreciate the appointments by this administration of some citizens of your kingdoms”.

Also reacting to a request for the presidency to urgently address oil spillages in the region, the president indirectly took a swipe on the delegation, saying most times people from the oil producing communities contribute to the degradation of their communities while government take the bashing for their actions.

Buhari said: “I plead with you leaders of these communities that your resources have been sustaining this country throughout these years for restraint and control, so that the cooperation you gave to the previous administrations will be extended to this administration so that the country can realize the resources which are mainly under your seat.

“Some of your citizens there are responsible and they hurt more of your people that have access to employment, either due to lack of education. You know as much as I do that it is these people that suffer from oil pollution, like those engaged in fishing.

“If the water is polluted, it is the majority of the people that will suffer. Those making noise in the media do so because they somehow have access and because they are outside the country, but those of us who are stuck here, we are left to convince the people to show respect”.

According to the President-General of UPU, Olorogun Moses Taiga, part of the conditions which will guarantee Buhari of the support of the Urhobo people in the actualization of his second term bid, will be an appointment of an Urhobo son or daughter as substantive Minister in the current administration.

He also asked Buhari to resuscitate Sapele port, as well as resolve the boundary dispute between the Urhobos and Edo communities.

He also called for federal presence like the establishment of gas plants, adequate funding of the Federal University of Petroleum Resources, Effurun, and decried continued neglect by oil companies to their communities.

Taiga further told State House Correspondents that that the votes of the Urhobo people would go to Buhari in 2019 only if he fulfills their demands.

“We are making requests on the needs of the Urhobo nation. Once anybody is willing to do those things, we are partners in progress and we will work with him”.