—– Renews call for true federalism, state police
By Dayo Johnson Akure
A former Secretary General of the Pan Yoruba Socio-Political Group Afenifere, Basorun Sehinde Arogbofa, has asked Nigerians to keep supporting President Bola Tinubu for taking bold steps in tackling the nation’s long-standing challenges.
Arogbofa, said in Akure, the Ondo state capital, that “What the present government led by Senator Tinubu has been taking are some bold steps in the area of the economy and insecurity
“He came in like a war general to fight, to get us back on track. He was bold, very bold. What others fear to do, he came up boldly, even the very first day.
“Honestly, this government is trying to address whatever mistakes that have happened in the past. And it is not easy.”
He urged both citizens and government officials to exercise patience and acknowledge the varying degrees of suffering in the country.
“Suffering differs. The type of suffering those at the top are having will be very different from those at the lower level.”
Arogbofa identified economic recovery and insecurity as key national problems and commended the administration’s efforts in confronting them.
“These issues are being frontally tackled. We have to give him those credits. But from my own point of view, things have gone so bad in this country that only people who have courage can really come out the way he has done.
He noted that national recovery requires a joint effort between government and citizens.
“Nigerians must realise that there’s a need for everybody to be on board… It’s not an easy situation.
He admitted there were lapses in the current administration’s approach, some of which, he said, the public also contributed to.
“Apart from a few lapses which can be corrected, some of them for which we are responsible, I mean, Nigeria is responsible.
On insecurity, Arogbofa noted the role of past administrations in allowing it to grow unchecked.
Said he: “In the time past, our governments were looking the other way, It is true that our borders are porous, and we want the government to do something.
“One is scared, for example, to hear what is happening in Kwara. It’s very frightening.
“If security is tackled better, there are drones to spot evil doers and the state police is introduced. And farmers are able to go back to their farms. And People are not just killed like chickens on the road in their villages, as is happening in Makurdi.”
On corruption, he said, “As far back as the Babangida government, this corruption has taken root and has been aggravating. Those at the top are more to blame.
“The average Nigerian is very respectful of the law… until a man in power, who told you not to do it, starts doing it. So when you do it, and he sees it, he will do it better than you.
“If you are offered bribes, and you don’t take them, you are already tackling the corruption of the mind. But there is also the level of corruption which is a result of the economic problem.
“It is no longer a secret that people have to bribe their way through in most of our offices now.”
On federalism, Arogbofa stressed the need for true federalism and collective responsibility in the rebuilding of the nation.
He also called for an urgent need for restructuring and establishing a proper federal system.
“We are not practising a true federal system in this country. We are not,” he lamented.
Arogbofa cited systemic challenges in governance, including the legislative, executive, and judicial arms of government.
“He (President Tinubu) has a lot of problems. The administration, the judiciary, the legislature. Sometimes they can create some problems. Like, for example, the police, the state police. What are we still waiting for?” he said.
“I have always made it clear that when we look at the developmental strides in this country, generally, we have been taking three steps backwards. I mean, two steps forward and three steps backward, which means we have always been having a deficit in nearly everything.
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