The presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Atiku Abubakar disclosed that he has engineered a draft amendment bill he would use to restructure Nigeria if elected in 2023.
He said he would introduce the bill to the National Assembly on the first day of sitting of the 10th Assembly next year as an Executive Bill if elected president. How realistic is this claim?
On Wednesday, he spoke to members of the Nigeria Guild of Editors (NGE) at the Marriot Hotel, Lagos, where he revealed that the amendment bill alongside his five-point agenda, which he tagged ‘My Covenant With Nigerians’, is a product of broad consultation and expert advice.
The former vice president said he prepared the draft restructuring amendment bill with the help of some of the best lawyers in the country.
He explained that those lawyers were chosen from each of the six geo-political zones to enable the equal representation and a sense of belongings in the remaking of Nigeria.
He added that the drafters arrived at the document tactically. They came out with the restructuring document following a series of meetings, deliberations, and intellectual discussions.
“The bill is ready and it would be presented to the National Assembly on the first day of their sitting after the inauguration.
"Mind you, the process of amending the constitution involves the Executive, the National Assembly and the state houses of Assembly.
"So, on the first day of sitting, I will present the bill,” Atiku said.
According to Atiku, the document will cover the specific areas mitigating restructuring in Nigeria, including resource control.
Unless Atiku Abubakar has his federal executive council readily available before he assumes office, it is logically impossible to kick-start his restructuring plans the following day he is sworn in.
It is so because he needs to deliberate with the members of the Federal Executive Council (FEC) before such a decision is made.
But considering the trends we have witnessed in Nigeria since 1999, it takes “forever” before the federal executive council is constituted.
Because restructuring is the only new concept that will fascinate most Nigerians, the presidential candidate decided to trek the path.
There are different approaches to restructuring and Atiku refused to give a concise brief of which genre of restructuring he will be bringing along with him to the villa.
Also, wholesome restructuring is not a day's job as Atiku Abubakar made it sound. It is a methodic collective process.
The federal government and the federal legislature had granted independence and autonomy to the local governments in Nigeria.
The state legislatures are the body yet to consent to this process. This implies that a national change in Nigeria is not a process that Atiku can do in twenty-four hours.
Critics believe that he only wants to play to the gallery of telling the people what they want to hear but not what he wants to do.
During political seasons like the one we are in now, politicians will likely make promises to win them votes. They hardly fulfil these promises when they get into office.
It is practically impossible for Atiku Abubakar to send the bill to the National Assembly on their first sitting if he does not have his cabinet and the federal executive council members readily available before being sworn in as president.
Nigerians are hungry for restructuring. The former vice president had even been part of a government that did not fulfil most of its promises.
Restructuring Nigeria is too important to be used as a campaign weaponry.
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