The Arewa Youth Consultative Forum and Arewa Economic Forum have endorsed President Bola Tinubu’s stance on restructuring.

During his recent trip to Ondo State, President Tinubu stated that his government aims to establish a strong base before implementing national restructuring to enhance true federalism.

In response, the President of the Arewa Consultative Forum, Shettima Yerima, stated that the center can no longer hold, emphasising that it is time to restructure.

Yerima, in an interview with our correspondent on Saturday, urged the President and the National Assembly to initiate the necessary amendments, stating that this would enable all states to improve their performance.

He stated, “I have advocated for restructuring for a considerable period because I believe the current centralised system is no longer sustainable due to its high cost. Therefore, decentralising the central government is necessary.

“Additionally, I propose amending the system to allocate a certain percentage of resources to the regions, reducing the desperation of politicians to hold central positions.

“This restructuring model, similar to what worked in the late 60s, would deter criminals from seeking political office solely for personal gain. Restructuring is imperative as it would discourage governors from solely relying on federal allocations, leading to greater productivity and accountability at the state level.”

On his part, the Chairman of the Arewa Economic Forum, Ibrahim Dandakata, expressed full support for restructuring while expressing caution about its implementation.

Dandakata, in an interview with Sunday PUNCH, urged the Federal Government and the National Assembly to develop a framework that would empower disadvantaged states to develop at their own pace.

“We agree with the President’s stance on restructuring, but we urge caution in its implementation, especially regarding the peculiarities of most disadvantaged states, particularly in northern Nigeria, which have historically faced challenges in receiving equitable benefits.

“So, there should be proper frameworks that will take care of these economic, social, and political issues they should look at the progress that the nation wants. And ensure that these states can be carried along and given the opportunity that other states have gotten for them to develop,” he said.

He added that if properly implemented, restructuring will help address access to development and bottlenecks, ensuring that Nigerians benefit from governance.

Meanwhile, some concerned groups in Kaduna State have condemned calls by some disgruntled individuals and groups for a coup d’etat or war in the country.

The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the groups made the condemnation at a news conference in Kaduna on Saturday.

The conference was convened to declare support for President Bola Tinubu, Governor Uba Sani of Kaduna State and the Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Christopher Musa’s commitment to democracy and security in Nigeria.

Among members of the group are Victor Bobai, Director, Privilege Magazine and Communications Nigeria Ltd, and Mr Husseini Kachia of Kaduna Citizens’ Forum.

“In recent times, there have been rumblings of discontent and calls for coup d’etat or war in our beloved country.

“We stand here today, to firmly denounce such calls and urge Nigerians to rally round President Tinubu and constituted authorities.

“It is only through unity and cooperation that we can address the challenges facing our nation and move towards a brighter future for all,” they said.

The groups further condemned the attempt by certain individuals to create a discord between Gen. Musa and Tinubu.