Politics

Restructuring Is To Get Nigeria Working Again, Not For Regionalism, MBF Replies Yakasai

Published

4 years ago

September 9, 2022

Editor

The Middle Belt Forum, MBF, has explained that the clamour for the restructuring of the country was not for the purpose of returning the country back to regionalism but to get the country working again and returned back to the path of sustainable peace and development irrespective of the system of government.

The National President of MBF, Dr. Bitrus Pogu made the clarification in Makurdi while reacting to the recent comment by Alh. Tanko Yakasai who was quoted as saying that regionalism would not help Nigeria anymore.

Dr. Pogu said, “We had regions before we came to the presidential system of government and the regions operated up till the time the military came just before the civil war, and we knew that Nigeria was working fine.

“We had the groundnut pyramids in the North, the cattle trade and all that. The South West and East were doing fine. At that time we were very young and wouldn’t have understood the workings of government but all we knew was that things were working well.

“We had the Native Authority Police and we had Nigerian Police. In fact you hardly see Nigerian Police. The people you see when there was anything were the Native Authority Police. In the North we called them Dan Doka, the Nigerian Police then were called Dan Sanda.

“And you hardly see the Nigerian Police, it was the Native Authority Police that you see in the villages with his short knicker, his socks rolled up and handy with his small baton. They did a good job, there was no corruption and they went about with their baton and arresting local armed robbers.

“Things were moving fine. We had sanitary inspectors, we had forestry guards, Nigeria was working as a country and our currency was strong.

“Of course we had the issue of traditional rulers playing major roles especially in the North and it worked. That was the regional thing that we came from when the military took over.

“We are not saying we should turn down the wheel of progress by adopting regionalism. But in the presidential system which is the contentious issue, have we adopted the principles of true of federalism in this system we are practicing?

“We are not, we just took some parts that are convenient from the American system and then centralized everything at the top; because the military wanted to be in control of everything.

“Now we are in a civilian regime and we have adopted the same governance patten of the military which was for their own convenience. It will not work because it has never worked. Instead Nigeria is falling apart. We have a president who is so powerful than God knows what. And everything is at the centre.

“You have the Nigerian Police everywhere but people are being killed and you call the police thy would not respond because somebody in Abuja did not give order. The military who are supposed to be hardly seen are doing the work that are meant for police.

“Before the civil war you never saw them anyhow, they were always in their barracks, but now soldiers are everywhere because things are falling apart.

“I am not saying that regionalism is better, but what we are saying is that the restructuring of the system we have will do us better. If that restructuring takes us to true federalism, so be it. If that restructuring keeps us with the same federating units which are the states, with the devolution of power that will ensure that things at the local levels work well, so be it.

“Why are we ask for state police? We copied the American system and in that system there is local police and each one has its jurisdiction. So when the people are attacked and you cannot defend yourself, the local police is the first line of defense.

“So people who do not want such things are the supporters and perpetrators of this evil in the land because they do not want the evil to stop. They do not want the people to defend themselves. They want the people to be killed like rats.

“The answers as far as I am concerned is lets restructure and get things happening in the right way and in the right direction.

“If Nigerians want it to be true regions, so be it. If Nigerians want the structures which we have now using the states as the federating units, so be it. But let there be devolution of powers, let there be true federalism and we will move forward.”

VANGUARD

Related Topics:#Nigeria MBF Restructuring Yakasai

Up Next

PDP Approves 2023 Presidential Campaign Structure

Don't Miss

2023 Election: Atiku Addresses PDP Crisis Amid Wike’s Opposition

Comments

Politics

BREAKING: 17 ADC Reps Follow Join NDC

Published

2 hours ago

May 5, 2026

Editor

About 17 African Democratic Congress, ADC, lawmakers in the House of Representatives have defected to the Nigerian Democratic Congress, NDC.

This was disclosed by Speaker Abass Tajudeen on the floor of the House on Tuesday.

Tajudeen also announced the defection of Leke Abejide from the ADC to the All Progressives Congress, APC.

Lawmakers who defected to the NDC include Yusuf Datti, Uchenna Okonkwo, Adamu Wakili, Thaddeus Attah, George Ozodinobi, Lilian Orogbu, Oluwaseyi Sowunmi, Peter Aniekwe, Mukhtar Zakari, George Oluwande and Munachim Umezuruike.

Others are Emeka Idu, Jesse Onuakalusi, Ifeanyi Uzokwe, Afam Ogene and Abdulhakeem Ado.

This comes barely a day after former presidential candidates Peter Obi and Rabiu Kwankwaso defected from the ADC to the NDC.

Obi and Kwankwaso have pledged to continue their pursuit for a better Nigeria in the NDC.

Politics

JUST IN: Why I left ADC For NDC With Kwankwaso – Peter Obi Opens Up

Published

21 hours ago

May 4, 2026

Editor

A former presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has given reasons why he resigned from the African Democratic Congress, ADC, to join the Nigerian Democratic Congress, NDC, alongside a former governor of Kano State, Rabiu Kwankwaso.

In a long post on X on Monday, Obi insisted it was not out of anger or ambition.

Rather, he said the move is a continuation of the quest to build a new Nigeria.

Obi wrote: “Yesterday, I formally joined the Nigerian Democratic Congress (NDC), alongside my dear brother, Engr. Dr Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, with one clear purpose: to continue the struggle for a new Nigeria built on justice, competence, accountability, and compassion for the ordinary Nigerian.

“As I stated yesterday, this decision was not made out of anger, personal ambition, or convenience. It came after deep reflection on the present condition of our nation and the urgent need to rescue Nigeria from the dangerous path it is currently heading.

“Over the years, I have remained steadfast in my conviction that politics should never be about individuals, positions, or personal gain. It must be about the people, especially the millions of Nigerians who today can no longer afford necessities, whose businesses are collapsing, whose children are losing hope, and whose future is becoming increasingly uncertain.

“I left the ADC for the same reason I left the Labour Party: the severe, orchestrated litigation and internal crises deliberately designed to ensure that I, alongside many other notable individuals, do not effectively participate in the electoral process. I sincerely appreciate and remain deeply grateful to the Leadership of ADC for the opportunity to work together in pursuit of a better Nigeria. I am particularly grateful to ADC Chairman Senator David Mark for his exceptional Leadership. I also deeply appreciate my Leader and elder brother YE, Atiku Abubakar, as well as other respected leaders within the party.

“As we join the NDC, I sincerely appeal to the Nigerian Government against the encouragement of unresolved litigations and the infusion of crises within political parties. Democracy must never become a weapon against the people. A healthy democracy thrives on strong institutions, credible alternatives, and the freedom of citizens to make choices without intimidation, manipulation, or fear. Opposition parties must not be weakened or destroyed, because when democracy loses balance, the people ultimately suffer.

“Nigeria today is passing through one of the most difficult periods in its history. Poverty is rising. Hunger is widespread. Insecurity continues to threaten lives and livelihoods. Businesses are shutting down daily. Our young people are becoming discouraged, and many citizens have lost faith in the system. At a time like this, leadership must be driven not by propaganda or division, but by competence, capacity, character, and compassion.

“Our decision to join the NDC is therefore not an abandonment of values, but a continuation of the same mission we have always stood for: building a Nigeria where leadership is about service, where public resources are managed responsibly, where institutions function independently, and where every Nigerian, regardless of tribe, religion, region, or social status, can live with dignity, security, and hope.

“I remain committed to working with all Nigerians of goodwill across political, ethnic, and religious lines. The task before us is bigger than any individual or political party. It is about the future of our children and the survival of our dear nation.

“I thank Nigerians, especially our youths and women, for remaining peaceful, resilient, and hopeful despite the enormous challenges confronting the country. I urge you not to lose faith in Nigeria. Nations do not change because people surrender to hopelessness; they change because people continue to believe, continue to sacrifice, and continue to stand for what is right.”

Politics

Peter Obi, Kwankwaso Formally Join NDC, Warn Members Against Litigation

Published

2 days ago

May 3, 2026

Editor

Peter Obi of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) has warned party members to steer clear of any form of litigation that can plunge the party into chaos ahead of the 2027 elections.

Speaking in Abuja on Sunday after he was formally joined the party alongside the former governor of Kano State,

Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso , the 2023 presidential candidate of the Labour Party(LP), urged members to embrace dialogue in the interest of the party

“Please let there be no litigation. Party members, please don’t go to court. We want to build a party, we are not lawyers,” he pleaded.

The two political figures were received into the opposition party on Sunday at its national secretariat in Abuja.

Earlier, Obi had announced his exit from the African Democratic Congress (ADC), while Kwankwaso had indicated he was engaged in “wide-ranging consultations” with the NDC.

The National Chairman of the party, Cleopas Moses Zuwoghe, presented membership cards to both leaders at the event.

Speaking afterwards, Kwankwaso said their engagement with NDC stakeholders was driven by a shared vision and ideological alignment.

“We came to discuss with stakeholders of the party and found that our ideologies and beliefs are largely the same,” he said.

He urged Nigerians to register with the NDC ahead of the deadline for party membership registration, stressing the need for broader participation in the political process.