‘What Have You Done To Allow LGs Flourish?’ Malami Questions S/Govs Demand For Restructuring

A group photograph of state governors in southern Nigeria after a meeting in Asaba, Delta State on May 11, 2021.

The Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami has questioned Southern governors following their demand for the restructuring of the country.

Malami in an interview on Channels Television’s programme, Politics Today on Tuesday said the governors should ensure the functionality and efficiency of the local government before clamouring for restructuring.

“My view about restructuring cannot be divorced from the political undertone. We have an existing structure. As for tiers of government, we have – Federal, State, and Local Governments.

“Those clamouring for restructuring, what have they done to ensure the functionality and efficiency of the local government.

“Here we have a governor clamouring for restructuring and denying a local government (which is a tier of government) the financial resources to function effectively,” he said.

The AGF, therefore, said the governors cannot demand restructuring of the country noting that there is no justification for it.

“You cannot be clamouring for restructuring in a system whereby you have a responsibility to allow the existing tiers of government to operate. You are denying them functional operation and you are shouting restructuring.

“You cannot clamour for restructuring in a situation whereby you have the responsibility to allow local government to flourish and function optimally. You are undermining their operation by denying them autonomy granted constitutionality and yet you are clamouring for restructuring.”

Governors of Southern states in Nigeria last week called for restructuring and placed a ban on the movement of cattle by foot into and within the South.

The governors said the ban on open grazing is imperative because the development and population growth has put pressure on available land and increased the prospects of conflict between migrating herders and local populations in the South.