Obasanjo: We Can’t Be Second Class Citizens, Restructuring Must Be Addressed Now

Former president Olusegun Obasanjo has said while he would continue to fight for Nigeria’s unity, he would not want his descendants or race to become “second class citizens” of the country.

Obasanjo warned that if unattended to, the agitations for restructuring may degenerate into self-determination or another civil war.

The former president also warned that no region in the country should think it could easily suppress other regions who may want to break out due to the current situation of things. 

Obasanjo said the alleged “impunity” of the Muhammadu Buhari administration may cause restructuring agitations to degenerate into self-determination.

The former president recalled that while he was president, the agitation was for true federalism, but that the alleged fractional political division and worsening insecurity, amongst others, under President Buhari had triggered the call for restructuring. 

He warned that failure to address restructuring now may lead to the country’s breakup.

“President Goodluck Jonathan’s effort of a National Conference did not even get to the National Assembly. Today, the agitation has moved up to restructuring. Thanks to Buhari’s administration and its impunity and all. With the fractional political division, poor management of the economy, the non-protecting security and the politics of uncertainty in the land, we should not allow restructuring agitation to degenerate to self-determination,” Obasanjo said in Lagos on Saturday at the first memorial lecture of the founder of Oodua People’s Congress, Fredrick Fasehun.

He said, “When I was elected President the agitation was true federalism but now it is restructuring.

“If we don’t address it they may go from restructuring to self-determination and this will be a serious problem.

“If Boko Haram can get external support, any group that decided to go will get support from within and outside. So we must address the issue now.”

“The language we are using to address ourselves across the region now is uncouth and it must not continue

“I will continue to fight for Nigeria’s unity until I die. But this fight is not to make my children and my race second class citizens,”

Obasanjo further suggested that the solution to the problem was a new constitution that would meet the agitation and aspiration of all Nigerians.

“The executive and the legislature need to work together to establish a Constituent Assembly.

He continued, “And if after over 10 years of fighting Boko Haram, the terrorist group is still waxing strong, let nobody out of self-delusion think that a war of self-determination by one or more geopolitical zones of Nigeria with the present disenchantment would be easily suppressed by the rest of what may remain of the country.”

“Some will fight to the last drop of the blood of their group rather than suffer the indignity of slavery, oppression, domination and atrocious injustice in the land of their birth and the only one that they can call their country.

“If Boko Haram can get an outside support, any geo-political zone opting for self-determination may equally get an external support. War may not necessarily go as planned, estimated and predicted. Everything must, therefore, be put in place to avoid a war, the end of which no one can precisely predict,” Obasanjo said, warning that there was a slim chance Nigeria could survive another civil war.