Nigeria handicapped by its dysfunctional structure, says Ezekwesili

Presidential candidate of the Allied Congress Party of Nigeria, Obiageli Oby Ezekwesili says Nigeria’s federal structure contained too much structural faults which has prevented the country from growing.

Ezekwesili who disclosed this while presenting her policy speech on Monday, said Nigeria’s current federal structure simply does not work.

According to her, a functional structure gives shape, support, and aids the movement of the federation, but with Nigeria, it has handicapped the nation.

Ezekwesili, who was Nigeria’s former Minister of Education as well as Solid Minerals, also reiterated her call on Nigerians to reject the All Progressives Congress and the Peoples’ Democratic Party in 2019.

“The APC campaigned in 2015 on a manifesto that propagated the doctrine of restructuring. President Buhari went along with it every step of the way because it is all about getting into power for him. He won and then began to renege on his promises, including on restructuring. He suddenly remembered all the reasons why ‘structure is not the problem’ with Nigeria,” she added.

According to the former minister, Nigeria has become notorious for its horrible infrastructure under the APC-led administration – roads that are simply death traps, epileptic electricity supply, insufficient broadband connectivity, underwhelming rail and ports development.

Dr. Oby Ezekwesili argued that there was little physical links and connectivity for development due to infrastructure deficit in both urban and rural centres. “We must heed the Chinese lesson from their well-known mantra that “if you want to improve the lives of your people, connect them to markets by giving them roads.”

Citing the recent World Health Organization (WHO) ranking of Nigeria’s healthcare system, Ezekwesili said her government will give the health sector attention.

“Nigeria loses too much when its human capital do not live healthy lives. Health is central to lifting our people out of poverty; it is central to ensuring that we have a competitive and productive economy. And in my government, it will occupy a central place,” she said.

Also reacting to the country’s insecurity issues, Dr. Ezekwesili, said Nigeria is now the 14th most fragile nation in the world on the Fragile States Index, and the 16th most dangerous country to live in the world, according to the Global Peace Index.

“Our young girls go to school in the morning to pursue dreams of a better life, but end up at night in terrorists’ dens, raped and traumatised. Entire communities and even local government areas in this country have been driven into hunger and poverty, as their sources of livelihoods are completely wiped out due to insecurity. The value of a Nigerian life has been devalued and cheapened.”