OPC Applauds Growing Support For Restructuring, Charges Over Lagos-Ibadan Express Road

The Odua People’s Congress (OPC) has applauded the growing support for the demand for the restructuring of the country, even as it re-echoed its call for the urgent repair of the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway to prevent further loss of lives.

In a statement issued by the Socio-Cultural group in Lagos at the weekend, the Yoruba group registered the optimism that the restructuring of the country will be effected soon.

It said the oneness of the different zones in the country in demanding the immediate restructuring of the country along regional line is an indication that the liberation of the Nigerian masses may be at hand, adding that “the unity of purpose of the South West in the demand for the long overdue restructuring of our dear country is commendable”

The OPC, in the statement signed by its National Coordinator, Otunba Gani Adams said the country’s leadership would have discovered by now that only the people themselves can determine how they want to be led.

According to the OPC, its optimism is rooted in the fact that it is becoming clearer by the day that the demand for the restructuring of the country is coming from the governed themselves, stating that the government, including the legislative bodies, have no choice than to give to the people what they want.

Giving kudos to The Ahmadu Bello Memorial Foundation for its recent call to the North not to dismiss the calls for restructuring, but do everything to ensure its workability, the OPC said the country , like the foundation observed, is at a cross roads where many issues threatening its continued existence must be appropriately addressed.

The group also applauded the call by the Ohaneze-Ndigbo to the Federal government to heed the call for the urgent restructuring of the country, particularly the Eastern group’s President-General, Chief John Nwodo’s call at the Chatham House, London earlier in the week which drew the attention of government, among others, to the proposal of Nigeria as ” federating units with a region at each of the six geopolitical units whose constitution will be agreed to and adopted by the states in the geopolitical region.

” The regions will have the powers to merge existing states or create new ones. There will be regional and state legislatures and judiciary dealing with making and interpreting laws made in the respective political entities. This approach proposes a revenue sharing formulae of 15% to the Federal Government, 35% to the State Government and 50% to the State Governments.”

According to the Yoruba group, the entire nation has realised that restructuring the nation along regional line is the only practicable way for the country out of the woods for now.

“The entire Southwest have a voice on the demand for restructuring and we acknowledge the boldness of notable citizens of the Yoruba nation like Professor Wole Soyinka, the Governors of Ondo, Ekiti, Osun and Ogun states and Asiwaju Bola Tinubu among others, in their demand for restructuring .

“We congratulate the entire South west for their unity of purpose over the issue because, judging by the statement of the Lagos state House of Assembly Speaker, Hon Obasa the entire Southwest have agreed on the demand for the immediate restructuring of the country as the panacea to its present troubles”

Further, the group said “Unlike before, the call for restructuring has now assumed a national dimension with Easterners, South South and Northerners alike making the same demand.

Citing the persistent call of Alhaji Atiku Abubarkar and until recently Governor of Kaduna State, Malam Nasir El-rufai for restructuring as some of the call from the North , the OPC mentioned that Nigeria will be a better place to live if the government of the day can face reality and give to the people what they crave in term of how they want to co-exist.

In apparent reference to the submission of the Speaker, House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara on the floor of the House last Tuesday that the House of Representatives has resolved immediately to set up a strong committee to liaise with all stake holders across the six geopolitical zones for what he called practical solutions to robust the unity of Nigeria, the OPC said it is cheering enough that the House Of Representatives has found it necessary to find “practical solutions” to the challenges confronting the unity of the country, adding that “more cheering is the submission of the Speaker that ” the National Assembly as a representative and product of the people cannot act contrary to the wishes and aspirations of its constituents”. Thus, stating that the legislatures dont have an option than to accede to the demand of the people for restructuring.

Meanwhile the OPC has repeated its call on the Federal Government to work with the National Assembly “and ensure the completion of the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway immediately”.

The group had before now lamented the lackadaisical attitude of some members of the Executive and Legislature “to the urgency that should be attached to fixing this important road” and had declared that “the lack of seriousness is a reflection of why things are not working in Nigeria”.

Reiterating the call, the Yoruba group said the rate at which lives are being lost on the Lagos -Ibadan expressway is becoming unbearable and pleaded that something urgent should be done.

Describing the expressway as “the major artery that carries the lifeblood of Nigeria’s economy”, the group narrated that the road is one that leads Lagos to the West, East and North. Completed in 1978 as a four-lane highway, it is the busiest highway in West Africa and one of the busiest in Africa.

The OPC lamented that “about 300,000 vehicles ply this road everyday and it is a shame that successive administrations did not show signs of seriousness about fixing the road.”

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