Restructure Before Nigeria Collapses, Dabo Sambo Tells Buhari, Others

KADUNA - An elder statesman, who has served Nigeria in various capacities, Alhaji Abbas Dabo Sambo, has reiterated the call for Nigeria to be politically restructured before the 2023 general elections.

This is just as he averred that if the country is not restructured, the political system might collapse for the worst.

Addressing a press conference in Kaduna yesterday, the elder statesman also advocated that immunity for governors should be removed going forward, while faulting legislators’ payment of constituency allowances, which he said, is clearly encroaching on executive functions.

Sambo, who was chairman, Federal Government Public Accounts Committee in the mid 1980’s, in his letter titled: “Please Restructure Nigeria ready for 2023 elections” also said, “In view of the worsening security situation in Nigeria, there is absolute need to rethink the federal structure since it has failed, so that an improved political system is set up and adopted through “Constitutional Reform” for peace and development”.

Towards this end, the elder stateman, who was a permanent secretary from 1969 to 1979 in defunct North Central State before it was renamed Kaduna State and a provincial secretary of Katsina Province, said there is need to consider seriously, the future of Nigeria for example:

“Nigeria’s constitution shall be reviewed before 2023 elections and there should be a new structure, the six geopolitical zones should be the nucleus with six regions, each, with a premier and a regional house of assembly. There shall be a prime minister with a deputy.

“The present states shall remain but the new regions may add such other local government areas desirable; for confirmation by parliament.

“Political offices should be made less attractive to avoid hungry politicians muddling up the functions of the executive and the legislature: why should law makers be paid sums like constituency allowance etc, which is encroaching on executive functions: legitimate allowances shall be fixed by real experts to avoid wasteful expenditure.”