Nigeria needs restructuring, not secession – Sen. Buhari

Sen. Abdulfatai Buhari (APC-Oyo North) says Nigeria needs restructuring to resolve its myriads of problems, not secession.

Buhari who disclose this to newsmen in Ibadan on Wednesday said that secession would only lead to “war within war.”

The Voice Media Trust (VMT NEWS) reports that Buhari is the Chairman, Senate Committee on Land Transport.

“I don’t believe in secession; restructuring, I believe in it so much.

“Yoruba Presidency I am 100 percent, I believe in what is called rotational, it’s just fairness.

“If you say democracy is a game of number, I agree, but there is what is called a situation for the right place and where you find yourself.

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“Secession does not bring peace, but war within war,’’ he said.

The lawmaker, who expressed strong support for restructuring, added that a better Nigeria could not be achieved in an atmosphere of violence or war.

Buhari said that there was need for Nigerians to embrace restructuring, saying the people can dialogue without being violent.

“Let me give you an example, I am a Senator; I have 13 local governments. My deputy in our committee has only two local governments from Bayelsa.

“And you say we should not restructure. He won his election with 2,300 votes and the total votes cast was less than 10,000 votes.

“How many people will I tell in Nigeria that there are only two people who have more local governments than me out of 109, that is Sen. Gaya and Sen. Barau.

“Sen. Kabir Gaya from Kano has 16 local governments, Sen. Jibrin Barau has 14 local governments and myself 13 local governments,’’ he said.

The lawmaker also cited an example of the Paris Club refund where some states got 10 times the amount given to some others.

“I am a member of a particular committee that goes through the refund of the Paris Club, Rivers got N45 billion; Bayelsa got N43 billion; Ondo and Osun got N4 billion each. So, there is need for restructuring.

“But it is not the way we are going about it; it is not by force. We need to talk to each other. We need to talk to people with facts,’’ he said.

He reiterated his call for terrorists and kidnappers to serve capital punishment, saying it was the only way to stop the dastardly act.

The lawmaker said kidnapping for ransom has assumed an ugly business trend in the country, saying it won’t stop without serious punishment.

“I remember when we were in the university in the 80s and they said if you carry drugs, Cocaine, you will be shot.

“And I remember Beth Nome and Oju-Ologe, the two of them were arrested and they were shot, Nigerians stopped.

“The moment you know that you are a kidnapper and you know it is capital punishment that would solve it, you will stop,’’ he said.

He lamented over the security situation in the country and called on the Federal Government to intensify efforts at tackling the situation.