Presidency attacks proponents of restructuring; Warns against opponents of labor’s suspended strike

Abuja, Oct. 5, 2020

The Presidency has reacted to the calls by some individuals and socio-ethnic groups for the immediate restructuring of Nigeria, saying the President Muhammadu Buhari administration will not succumb to threats and undue pressure over the matter.

The Presidency has also lashed out at those who are bashing the labour unions for calling off the strike action that was supposed to start last week, saying that such people had apparently perfected plans to use the strike “as smokescreen to unleash anarchy on the land, fomenting mayhem and civil disobedience. But the plan blew up in their faces, and they have been in severe pains since then.”

Malam Garba Shehu, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, reacted to the calls for restructuring in a statement on Monday morning while Femi Adesina, Special Adviser to the President (Media and Publicity) addressed those who he said “have launched series of tirades against Organized Labour” since the proposed strike was called off.

The leadership of some socio-cultural groups including Ohaneze Ndigbo and Afenifere as well as Niger Delta agitators and individuals have reiterated the call for the restructuring of Nigeria.

According to them, the country needs a home-grown constitution that will usher in new political and economic arrangements based on regional structures or ”the country will break up”.

The presidential aide, however, dismissed the recurring calls as unpatriotic outbursts, saying the Buhari administration would not take any decision against the interest of 200 million Nigerians.

The statement reads in part: ”The Presidency responds to the recurring threats to the corporate existence of the country with factions giving specific timelines for the President to do one thing or another or else, in their language, “the nation will break up.”

”This is to warn that such unpatriotic outbursts are both unhelpful and unwarranted as this government will not succumb to threats and take any decision out of pressure at a time when the nation’s full attention is needed to deal with the security challenges facing it at a time of the Covid-19 health crisis.

”Repeat: this administration will not take any decision against the interests of 200 million Nigerians, who are the President’s first responsibility under the constitution, out of fear or threats especially in this hour of health crisis.

”The President as an elected leader under this constitution will continue to work with patriotic Nigerians, through and in line with the Parliamentary processes to find solutions to structural and other impediments to the growth and wellbeing of the nation and its people.”

In his statement, titled “Beware of people smarting from suspended labour strike for selfish reasons,” Adesina said that those involved do not have love for the country and that “the Muhammadu Buhari government is only interested in engendering better quality of life for the citizenry. Nothing more.”

Full text of his statement reads:

Since Organized Labour toed the path of sense and sensibility last week, seeing reason with the imperatives of fuel price adjustment, and opening a further window of dialogue on the service based electricity tariff, some groups of Nigerians have been dolorous, disgruntled, and disconsolate.

They had apparently perfected plans to use the strike by the labour unions as smokescreen to unleash anarchy on the land, fomenting mayhem and civil disobedience. But the plan blew up in their faces, and they have been in severe pains since then. They have launched series of tirades against Organized Labour.

For some interest groups, their intention was to use the umbrella of the strike to further their whimsical and pie-in-the-sky dream of a revolution in the country. It went bust in their faces.

For some others, Bitter-Enders, who have remained entrenched in pre-2015 and 2019 elections mode, it was opportunity to avenge the 2012 Occupy Nigeria protests, which they believe largely devalued the government of the day, and led to its eventual ouster in 2015.

The strike that was to have come up last week, they wanted to use as opportunity for a pound of flesh, which they calculated would weaken the government so much, and influence the 2023 elections. For them, it was all about hanker for power, its trappings and appurtenances. Nothing about love of country. They have since then been calling Organized Labour all sorts of names, claiming they deceived Nigerians.

The times in which we live-with severe security, economic and social challenges-call for all hands to be on deck, and goodwill and support for government, as it strives to put the nation on an even keel. We commend Organized Labour for putting the country first.

Those sponsoring and encouraging discord and anarchy, either for selfish ends, or as revenge for perceived injuries, are enemies of the country. Nigerians are urged to beware of them, as the Muhammadu Buhari government is only interested in engendering better quality of life for the citizenry. Nothing more.