Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta State, has said Senate President Ahmad Lawan and others opposed to restructuring of the Nigerian federation as canvassed by the 17 Southern governors, are the very example of leaders who do not know why they were elected.
Okowa's statement came in response to Lawan who in an interview with State House correspondents, in Abuja, on Thursday, after observing the Eid-el-Fitr prayers at the forecourt of the Presidential Villa, said southern governors demanding for restructuring should focus more on fixing their own states instead focusing on the Federal Government.
He said, “I believe that, as leaders, especially those of us who are elected into office should not be at the forefront of calling for this kind of thing (restructuring).
“Because, even if you are a governor, you are supposed to be working hard in your state to ensure that this restructuring you are calling for at the federal level, you have done it in your state as well.
“What you may accuse the Federal Government of, whatever it is, you may also be accused of the same thing in your state.
“So, we are supposed to ensure that we have a complete and total way of ensuring that our systems at the federal, state and even local government levels work for the people."
“We should avoid regionalism. We are all leaders and we are in this together. The solutions to our challenges must come from us regardless of what level of government we are. Whether at the federal, state or the local government level," he added.
However, Okowa, during an empowerment programme sponsored by the Minority Leader of the House of Representatives, Ndudi Elumelu on Saturday, took issues with Lawan's statement, saying unlike Lawan and his goons, the 17 southern governors were simply doing what those who elected, demanded.
Okowa said, “Unfortunately, I read in the papers that somebody said we ought not to talk about certain things, being elected people. If the voice of your people has been heard loudly and they have continued to talk, and you’re an elected person but you shy away from giving further voice to their voices, then you ought not to be in the position that you occupy. So, I must thank our people in the House of Reps who have responded to the speech made by their colleagues in the National Assembly.
“As I did say, all the things that we discussed; nothing is against the unity of this country. We reaffirm that as a people, as elected governors, we believe in the unity of our country. But we also went forth to advance the need for certain things to be done in order to give strength to that unity. That cannot be a reason for us to be vilified. Obviously not!”
Okowa added, “We talked about restructuring, which has been on the table for so long. Both the PDP and APC have endorsed restructuring. Our restructuring is all-inclusive and all-encompassing. We may have different views and approaches to restructuring, but when we sit at a table to dialogue, we will be able to agree on what is best for Nigeria.
“The conversations are obviously needed because if we do not talk and we allow the voices of our people to continue to speak, and the leadership shies away, then we are giving room for further crisis. So, I thought that it was time for other leaders across the country to thank the Southern governors for uniting to give a voice to the conversations because it is only when these conversations come at that level and driven in the interest of the majority of the people that we can have a truly united nation in which there is fairness and equity and trust amongst our people and the leadership.”
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