Buhari kicks against restructuring, state police
President Muhammadu Buhari has kicked against agitations for restructuring of the country and state police as a solution to Nigeria’s woes, saying that the agitators are not clear on their demands.
The President also said the leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, must face justice and clear his name on allegations before him, stressing that he would not interfere with the proceeding of the court.
Buhari stated this during an exclusive pre-recorded interview with Channels Television at the presidential villa, Abuja, aired on Wednesday.
The President noted that advocates of restructuring were not clear if they wanted new states to be created. He made reference to the frosty relationship between the state executive and the local government areas.
According to him, “those that talk of restructuring, I want them to define the concept. Do they want more states, at whose expense?
“I would not interfere with the work of the judiciary; Kanu’s case is with the judiciary. When he was in Europe saying all those things he did not think he would defend himself. We are giving him an opportunity to defend himself”.
When asked if there was any chance of a political solution to the issue, the President said such can happen if Kanu had behaved himself.
“There is a possibility of political solution if people behave themselves, but you cannot do all that; let him account for what he was doing”.
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Speaking further, the President said he would sign the amended 2021 Electoral Act into law if the National Assembly amend the controversial clause and remove direct primaries, saying that there should be three options for political parties.
According to him, ”I don’t support direct primaries, you can’t detect to political parties and say you are doing democracy, give them three options,” Buhari said.
Speaking on the constant conflict between herders and farmers across Nigeria, Buhari called for the activation of the cattle routes as solutions to the problem, saying that historic grazing routes have been encroached upon.
“We have to go back to the cattle routes and grazing reserves so that the herders don’t enter the farms of others, so that is the focus”.
He added that his administration was working assiduously to end the security challenges bedeviling the country, stressing that the focus would be on agriculture in the next one year to create jobs for Nigerians and increase food production.
