Judex Oloro, Calabar

The Archbishop (Ecclesiastical Province of Niger Delta), Anglican Communion, Most Rev Tunde Adeleye, has stated that Nigeria as a state is “ripe for restructuring”, suggesting that the country’s federalist system is “obsolete”.

The Arcbishop indicated that the centralisation of government power has led to injustice, marginalisation and a “failing state”.

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Speaking at the 2019 Synod of the Anglican Communion held at Cathedral Church, Calabar, Adeleye said the berated the federal system, faulting it for retarding the social, political and economic development of the country.

“Nigeria is ripe for restructuring. The present structure is obsolete and cannot carry us far. There is now injustice, there is marginalisation, resulting in a failing state. We, therefore, need to redesign Nigeria,” the archbishop said.

“The centre is too powerful.,” the Anglican cleric explained. “We require decentralisation of powers in which some powers in the exclusive lists of the constitution should either be shared with state government or handed over to them.

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“The states and local governments are marginalised. So, it is high time we allowed states to manage their resources and only pay royalty to federal government.”

On the call for state police, Adeleye, who doubles as the chairman of Christian Council of Nigeria (CCN), South-South zone, said that is one of the solutions to myriad of security challenges in various communities.

“We believe the establishment of state police in Nigeria will be accepted by everyone. This is a strategy of policing that would focus on building ties and working closely with local communities. This is already being practised in civilised countries across the globe.

“Besides, it would help to curb the rising tide of insecurity and other social vices since the state police is in closest reach to the (local) communities. Again, it would help to create employment for the youths.”

The archbishop criticised the Buhari administration for what he characterised as its promotion of one religion over and above others, expressing the common fears among sections of the country that Nigeria is gradually being “Islamised”.