FG Is Too Strong And Too Powerful; This Needs To Change – Atiku

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and Chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) says greater autonomy to states is the panacea to the country’s multi-faceted internal crisis.

Speaking on Tuesday at the official launch of “We Are All Biafrans”, a new book written by activist, journalist and scholar, Chido Onumah, in Abuja, Atiku said Nigerians have suffered for too long under a poorly-designed structure.

“Nigeria is not working, as well as it should, And part of the reason is the poor way we have structured our economy and governance especially since 1960,” the former VP said.

“The federal government is too big and too powerful relative to the federating units. That situation needs to change and calling for that change is patriotic,” Atiku said.

He further said: “We must refrain from assuming that anyone calling for restructuring of our federation is working for the breakup of our country. Absolutely not. And I reject that notion.

“An excessively powerful centre does not equate to national unity. Absolutely not. If anything, it has made our unity more fragile, our government more unstable and our country more unsafe. We must renegotiate our union in other to make it strong.

“Greater autonomy, power and resources for state and local authority will give the federations units greater freedom and flexibility to address local issues for their priorities and peculiarities. It will reduce the premium placed on capturing power at the centre. It will reduce insecurity. It will promote healthy rivalry amongst federations units,” Atiku, who chaired the launch said.