Lukman Olabiyi 

The Southern and Middle Belt Leaders Forum (SMBLF) has told President Muhammadu Buhari to stop acting like a Pharaoh in ancient  Egypt on the issue of restructuring.

In a statement by the representative of the regions, Yinka Odumakin (South West), Chief Guy Ikokwu (South East), Senator Bassey Henshaw (South South) and Dr Isuwa Dogo(Middle Belt), the forum described the reaction of the president on agitation for restructuring as uncouth and rude.

The statement read in part: “We will not accept turning us to second class citizens on our land not even with threats of arrests or assassinations. 

“Should we be clapping for the government and not talk when the Customs appoints  eight deputy comptrollers from a section of the country? Are we expected to be saying well done when DSS recruits 535 cadets from North West and North  East and only 93 from the entire South and North Central? 

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“Are we to keep quiet when the law setting up PENCOM was clear on succession at Directors level, you go and bring somebody  from North East to replace a South East eased out DG? 

“If Garba Shehu is not lexically challenged, he should know that those calling for restructuring are more patriotic than those running Nigeria towards  implosion. 

“Patriotism is to corporate Nigeria for all and not the sectional idea of Nigeria by the nepotists.  We will not succumb to their narrow idea of Nigeria fully assured that this too shall come to pass. 

“Therefore, let us restructure now and withdraw from the path of implosion forewarned by patriots at home and abroad.”