Restructuring, A Pipe Dream, Unless …, Fayemi
The Governor of Ekiti State, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, on Saturday told proponents of restructuring the Southwest to change strategy and reach out to other regions on how to actualise the dream of Nigeria being restructured economically and politically.
He said there is the need for the Yoruba race to be more tactical and strategic in its campaign for true federalism.
Fayemi expressed disappointment at the deeply entrenched voter apathy in the southwest region, saying in the last election, 16.2 million registered in the southeast, but said the outcome was not only shocking but very embarrassing.
Governors of Osun State, Mr. Gboyega Oyetola, said what could be regarded as distinguishable attributes of the Yoruba people is quest for development and good governance and that these should be sustained in the interest of the people.
Fayemi spoke in Ado Ekiti on Saturday at a national retreat held by Afenifere Renewal Group (ARG).
He said the All Progressives Congress governors in the southwest will work with the governor elect in Oyo State, Mr. Seyi Makinde in the interest of the region.
Fayemi said: “There are those who entertained fear on this issue of restructuring and whether this is legitimate or not, we must reach out to them, because we are not an island onto ourselves.
“We don’t need to be shouting on the roof top before we get it, but if we want to do it alone, it will the agitation will fall”, he warned. Expressing regret over voter apathy in the southwest, Fayemi said : “in the last presidential poll, Ekiti registered 909,000 voters , only 381,000 voted, 0sun 1.67million , only 737,000 voted, Ondo, 1.8m registered , 586,00, Oyo, 2.7m registered , 891,000 voted, 2.36m registered in Ogun, 605,000 voted and Lagos with 6.3m, only 1.56m voted.
“This might be caused by deficit of trust or fraudulent multiple registration, but whatever the case was, as long as we remain a constituent part of this country, ARG should reflect on this and act appropriately.
“If it was as a result of deficit of voter education, then the ARG and governments need a lot to do. Religion also affected us, because some people were brainwashed to vote based on religious consideration”. The governors of Ondo, Rotimi Akeredolu and Osun, Gboyega Oyetola, said all the distinguishable traits of the southwest region initiated during the old western region must he brought back in the interest of the zone.
The Osun governor, Oyetola, represented by his chief of staff, Dr. Charles Akinola said: ” the Yorubaness in us and those things that separated us from others are our developmental drives, our intellectual rigour, our brilliance, circumspection and those values however, have not really taken us to where we deserve”.
