Things Are Quickly Falling Apart in Nigeria, Says Senator Lanlehin

Ademola Babalola in Ibadan

For Nigeria not to go into extinction, the present administration of the All Progressives Congress (APC) needs to hearken the voice of reasoning on the call for restructuring of this nation, the immediate past senator for Oyo South senatorial district in the National Assembly, Olufemi Lanlehin disclosed on Saturday.

Lanlehin, who noted this during a chat with THISDAY, said that the country is on the brink of extinction with the current unrest and widespread sufferings of the masses. He said things are quickly falling apart in the country to the extent that our naira is fast assuming the status of an ordinary tissue paper that is worthless in the face of other currencies across the globe.

Lanlehin specifically alluded to the fact that economy has gone out of control of President Muhammadu Buhari hence the need to allow the sector to be handled by some great economists in Nigeria and experienced hands to navigate the ship of the nation to berth in a safe haven.

He also disclosed the need for healthy rapport among all the tiers of government for the president to succeed in the task of repositioning Nigeria for greatness.

On the way forward, Lanlehin said anything short of major restructuring of Nigeria was postponing the evil day which he argued would always backfire and threaten the peaceful coexistence of the nation in the long run.

According to him, “economy needs to be handled by the economists; experienced hands and we have them in abundance. The president also needs the cooperation of the cabinet members, legislature and the judiciary to move this nation forward.

’’Parliamentary system remains the best form of government for his nation and history is replete with how the nation’s founding fathers from each of the then political zones of the country ran the best form of government that were then the envy of other nations. So the type of restructuring I want is a return to the regional system of government. Nigeria’s solution is beyond the current National Assembly members or President himself.

“Things are quickly falling apart and we need to join hands together to safe this nation. We need a stay connected kind of leadership. Our electoral system needs to be reformed too. The South West should be the pathfinder to help Nigeria achieve its progress,’’ he added.

Edo Guber: NLC, TUC Endorse Obaseki for Governor
Adibe Emenyonu in Benin City

The Nigeria Labour Congress and the Trade Union Congress have thrown their weight behind the candidacy of Mr Godwin Obaseki, governorship candidate of the All progressives Congress (APC).

At a solidarity gathering to honour, Governor Adams Oshiomhole in Benin City, Chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress who spoke the minds of the workers said: “arising from the achievements of the Comrade Governor’s administration and coupled with the fact that he has done us proud being a man from our constituency.

“We are pleased that as he prepares to end his second tenure as the governor of Edo State, we need to assist him and give him all the necessary support to enable his legacies to be sustained.

“I ask for the massive support of all the workers and working people in Edo State come 28th September 2016 by voting en masse for Godwin Obaseki.

“I don’t want us to return to the years of regrets. You know what we passed through then. It is on this note that we in the labour movement have resolved not to stay aloof.

“To our governor, we are very grateful to you for making us very proud and for your continuous support.

“We are here to appreciate his past performance in the governance of this state for almost eight years now. Edo State is the first state being the heartbeat of Nigeria to produce a labour as a Chief executive of any state in Nigeria. Before his ascension as Governor, labour leaders were only referred to as workers and not referred to as good managers.

“He has proved beyond reasonable doubt that labour leaders are the best managers in governance.

“A trip around the eighteen local government areas of the state shows a wider spread of people-oriented projects, executed and being executed by his government.”

Governorship candidate of the APC, who was elated with the labour movement’s support said 2I just want to assure you that today because I have been part and parcel of the Edo project from the beginning, I accept full responsibility for the decisions we have made.

“My candidacy has offered me the opportunity to continue from where Comrade Oshiomhole will stop. I will continue to emphasise good and quality labour relations, and the payment of salaries which we have now come to take for granted will continue. I will spend more time on human capacity development to build a stronger civil service, without which we won’t be able to accomplish our goals and developmental agenda.”

He promised to devote resources to training and retraining of the workforce, including teachers.

He thanked the labour movement for the endorsement and promised that he would not disappoint them.

Governor Adams Oshiomhole on his part thanked the labour movement for the support they gave him in eight years.

He said the success of his government has given hope to others in the labour movement.

He said his government has computerised the pensions system such that retirees are now captured in the pensions payroll within a week after leaving the service.

He reminded the labour movement how the former PDP government sacked all the Permanent Secretaries in the state and seven thousand workers in one fell swoop without paying them their pensions, noting that the pensioners sacked by the PDP government of Lucky Igbinedion have now appealed to him to pay them their three months in lieu which that government failed to pay.

He urged the state workers to vote for the APC candidate en masse as he has the interest of the workers at heart.

Representative of the NLC President Ayuba Wabba, Comrade Godwin Uche said Edo workers were lucky to have Governor Adams Oshiomhole as he has transformed the face of governance in the state.

He noted that eight yars ago, only one airline was flying into the state, but with the increase in business and commerce in the state, more airlines now fly into the state daily.

He urged the workers to support Godwin Obaseki to continue with the good works that Comrade Adams Oshiomhole has done.