While speaking in Minna, the Niger State capital on Friday, a former Nigerian head of state, has talked down on the calls for restructuring saying that people must have faith in the indivisibility of the country.
Yakubu Gowon
Former Head of State, General Yakubu Gowon has described the move to restructure the country as impossible, saying the current composition of Nigeria makes it difficult for any kind of restructuring to take place.
General Gowon, speaking at in Minna, Niger State, said Nigeria is made up of over 500 ethnic groups hence the people must have faith in the indivisibility of the country rather than agitating for its restructuring.
“Nigeria is made up of over 500 ethnic groups, languages and dialects and so many various groups called nationalities and they want restructuring. This restructuring everybody is asking for, we will have about 500 different ideas of restructuring.
"There is call for restructuring to reduce the number of states to only a few either back to the old region or to the zones.”
The former Head of state who is known for his strong faith in “One Nigeria” said most states will be reluctant to be joined to another state for the restructuring into regions to occur, hence the impossibility of Nigeria’s restructuring.
“Those are some of the ideas that I do not know whether it will be possible for any state today to wish to be merged with another state. Let us see whether our politicians will see guidelines to be able to achieve what they want.
“But I have my problem whether the states will be financially capable to they will be able to run there states properly.”
He recalled his struggle to keep Nigeria as one during the civil war and said it was not out of hatred for any region or ethnic group but one borne out of the need to promote the course of unity in the country.