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By Olawale Gabriel

Contrary to some views that Nigeria’s problem is not about geographical restructuring but fiscal federalism, a non-governmental organization, the Centre for Social and Inter-Ethnic Cohesion, CSIC, has said that the country actually needs both fiscal and geographical restructuring.

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Vice President Yemi Osinbajo had asserted that ‘’we do not need geographical restructuring but good governance, honest management of public resources and a clear vision for development”.

But the Director of Media, CSIC, Mr Wellington Olaiya said the Country does not only need fiscal and geographical restructuring but a national security ideology that places national interest far above religious, ethnic or personal interests.

Urging the Federal Government to kick-start the process of restructuring in the country, he said the 1999 Constitution is a gross betrayal of governance trust of the founding fathers.

Olaiya, who disclosed this in Lagos while unveiling the vision of the Centre said, ‘’the current political structure is not a positive one, it places personal, religious and ethnic interests above national interests and cohesion’’.

CSIC however, noted that the clamour for state creation and revenue sharing allocation formula is traceable to cash crops and natural resources like cocoa, groundnuts and oil, thus without geographical restructuring, such clamour would be a recurring challenge in the country.

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According to him, the Centre would promote real unity in the country by using research-based media engagements, legal advocacy as well as a partnership with other Nigerians to ensure equal access to opportunities and mass re-orientation on true federalism, cohesion and a new political system”.

With its headquarters in Abuja, the Centre was conceived in 2017 by some concerned minds to draw the attention of government and the citizens to policies and practices that promote sectional, religious or ethnic division with a view to resolving them.

Vanguard