Afrigather The Yoruba socio-cultural and political group, Afenifere, has mentioned Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu will likely be tremendously missed for his brave standpoint on problems with the construction of Nigeria.
Sola Ebiseni, the Secretary Normal of the group, in a press release made obtainable to journalists on Wednesday in Akure after the demise of Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, mentioned, “Below his watch as President, the Nigerian Bar Affiliation was a veritable voice of braveness in championing fairness and equity within the governance of the Nigerian Federation. In all nationwide conversations, he aligned with true progressive voices within the advocacy of true federalism insisting on the change of the Structure imposed by the army by which Nigerian federalism is twisted.
“As Governor of Ondo State Akeredolu noticed and attributed rising sectional activism to “defective and twisted federalism” lamenting that sectional agitations had displaced “nationwide patriotism”, fearful that unitary construction would possibly proceed to impress sectionalism whereas insisting that true federalism will renew and restore constancy to nationwide consciousness”.
“He additionally decried the focus of the nation’s wealth within the Federal Authorities such that states have been ever depending on the centre for allocation of income from sources extracted from their territories opposite to true federal practices whereby the constituent federating items management their sources and remit constitutionally agreed proportion to the central authorities.
“The states in consequence have turn out to be so depending on the Federal Authorities and pauperised, unable to impression the lives of the unusual Nigerians. In sensible phrases, along with his colleagues South West Southern Governors Akeredolu ensured the institution of the Amotekun Safety Corps for the safety of the area and the constituent states because it must be in a real federation opposite to probably the most unacceptable monopoly of safety by the Federal Authorities a caricature of federalism underneath the imposed army structure.
“In politics, Akeredolu as Chairman of the Southern Governors Discussion board, mobilized his colleagues in demanding and insisting that the workplace of the President of Nigeria was not the unique protect of any area and thus joined different forward-looking teams, together with the Southern and Center Belt Leaders Discussion board within the profitable advocacy for a Governor from the Southern Area after the tenure of President Buhari of northern extraction.
It’s the hallmark of his braveness that his advocacy for true federalism was not diminished by the lukewarm perspective or open rejection of restructuring of the Nigerian Federation by the federal authorities on the identical platform on which Akeredolu was elected.
“As we mourn the exit of this nice Nigerian patriot and federalist of no imply stature, Afenifere needs to guarantee all who’re genuinely dedicated to fairness, justice and equity that we will stay unrelenting within the pursuit of restructuring to re-enact the foundational rules of true federalism which was useful to all. Adieu, Aketi.
