In a recent interview with The Sun, former Plateau State governor, Ambassador Fidelis Tapgun, delved into the intricate dynamics underpinning Nigeria's developmental impasse.
Tapgun's insights encapsulated a comprehensive assessment of the multifaceted challenges confronting the nation, with a keen focus on the operations of the National Assembly and the imperative of implementing the recommendations proffered in the national conference report. Expressing reservations about the efficacy of current legislative efforts, Tapgun underscored the urgent need for restructuring as a potent remedy to counteract the prevailing wave of secessionist tendencies.
Central to Tapgun's discourse was the transformative potential inherent in restructuring. He articulated its capacity to dismantle entrenched power structures that perpetuate systemic injustices, thereby fostering a more egalitarian and participatory governance framework. By affording autonomy to diverse demographic segments, Tapgun envisaged a reinvigorated national ethos predicated on shared ownership and collective empowerment.
Tapgun cogently argued that secessionist sentiments are symptomatic of pervasive sentiments of injustice and marginalization experienced by certain groups within Nigeria. He posited restructuring as a pivotal mechanism for redressing these grievances, thereby engendering genuine reconciliation and fostering national cohesion.
In his poignant articulation, Tapgun emphasized the intrinsic link between injustice and separatist aspirations: "Restructure it and allow people to take control of their destiny from the beginning. I don’t think you will see all these agitations by people because it’s as a result of injustice. You cry that you want to go, you want to stay separately. It is because you feel you are being unjustly treated. That is just the reason. But once opportunity is given to everybody to move, I don’t think you will hear all these things again. That’s why the country has to be restructured," Tapgun stated.