Former Governor of Anambra State, Dr. Chukwuemeka Ezeife, has said that restructuring without checking endemic corruption would lead Nigeria to nowhere.

Ezeife made the submission at a public lecture on Friday to commemorate Governor Seriake Dickson’s 6th year anniversary in office.

The Ex-Governor was the chairman of the Anniversary Lecture on the theme, “Restructuring: The way forward for a new Nigeria”.

He that said besides Nigeria’s defective federation, the roof cause of Nigeria’s problem is corruption.

“And unless we clear ourselves from it, there will be no change. How did APC get formed? Some corrupt men came from one party and built another party.

“Today, APC, corruption, PDP, corruption is in charge. I am saying we must fight corruption,” Ezeife stated.

According to him, in furtherance to the quest to wage terminal war against corruption, he and some Nigerians have formed a small group that is trying to create a new system in Nigeria.

“We decided that anybody who wants to be involved in this new system to bring about a new Nigeria must take oath before any election.

“If you want to be Chairman, you must take oath; if you want to be a House of Reps member, you must take oath.

“If you want to be anything that affects the lives of human beings, you must take oath, and the oath is you are swearing to serve the people and not to engage in corrupt self enrichment,” the former governor said.

In his lecture, Gen. Alani Akinrinade (rtd), a former Chief of Defense Staff argued that all the misconceptions about restructuring is misplaced adding that it would be a win-win situation for everybody.

“As a matter of fact, there ought not to have been a quarrel about restructuring in the first instance.

“It is a just and fair portion for all sections of a multi-ethnic and multi-religious nation weld together by colonial fiat in the sense that it unleashes the genius, the creative spirit and the visionary energies of the people within the nation space without any discrimination.

“But in an atmosphere of fears masquerading as facts, it became impossible to separate fallacies and fantasies from reality,” Akinrinade said.

He noted that restructuring would not lead to an “automatic El Dorado”.

“It is not a panacea for good governance but a strategic ancillary. Restructuring is not a once and for all cure or talisman but a means to an end.

“Any restructuring which leaves Nigeria with the current level of grinding poverty, feudal squalor, biblical misery and state larceny has not achieved anything.

“By decentralising and devolving power away from a bloated and overburdened centre to the margins, genuine federalism aims to unleash the ingenuity of the people and unfetter their creative and enterprising spirit.

“Local productivity is radically enhanced and so is accountability and transparency in governance since there is a face to government.

“Surely, there is less to steal at the centre and less humongous resources available to placate the larcenous appetite of executive brigands,” he said.

He was optimistic that with the assertion by the Vice President that state police is a necessity in the country, the country would eventually embrace restructuring and be better for it.

The occasion attracted dignitaries like Afenifere chieftain, Yinka Odumakin, Prof. GG Darah, Shettima Yerima, from the Arewa Youth, traditional rulers, National Assembly members amongst others.

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