By AbdulGafar Alabelewe, KadunaCompromise and consensus building are solutions to the agitations for the restructuring of the country, a businessman and presidential candidate in the 2019 general elections, Mr. Gbenga Olawepo-Hashim, has said.The politician said these principles should be adopted among contending interests to ensure unity, peace, security and development of the country.He premised his submission on the fact that whilst the Federal Government cannot continue to remain aloof about devolution of power, especially on clear items that are practicable and achievable, the dissent voices cannot also continue to insist that every item on their shopping list must be disposed of before the next election.According to him, compromise and consensus driven by the Federal Executive leadership via Constitutional Amendment Bill on particularly sections dealing with the Concurrent, Exclusive and Residual legislative lists are possible, especially in areas where there already exists a clear national consensus.Read Also; Jonathan, Jega, Nwodo, Ogbe disagree on restructuringOlawepo-Hashim added: It is time for us to agree on things that are agreeable and continue to discuss things that are not clear but may become clearer in the future. Compromise is never a sign of weakness but a noble act that springs from the depth of wisdom, honour and kindness.The businessman listed some areas where consensus seems to exist among dissent voices.These, he said, include creation of state and local government policealong with the Federal policeto make policing more efficient and to bolster national security, and amendment to enable state governments have some control over the development of all mineral resources in the inland basins.Other areas of consensus are amendment to ensure concurrent jurisdiction of Federal and state governments on electricity generation, transmission and distribution, and electoral reform clause to include electronic transmission of results from all level of results collations.Olawepo-Hashim stressed that these areas do not require a national conference for necessary deliberation.A simple Executive-sponsored Constitutional Amendment Bill narrowed to the above clearly defined items may get a resounding support, if properly managed with the 36 governors in Nigeria, as well as speakers of the states assemblies. The requirements for two-thirds support from the houses of assembly of the federation will be achievable in order to meet the constitutional requirement of a valid amendment, he said.The businessman argued that the nation needs to make progress in peace and harmony, as nation-building cannot be completed in one day.There will still be life after 2023. I am optimistic that Nigeria will survive, and other issues can be looked into after the 2023 elections, by the grace of God, he said.Olawepo-Hashim added: Let there be compromise where there exists clear national consensus. Compromise is a mark of confidence not weakness. The only area where I see no compromise is the agitation by extremists forces to dismember Nigeria.For those of us who love Nigeria and for those who have sacrificed or suffered deprivation for the countrys democracy and the nation, the indivisibility and indissolubility of Nigeria is sacrosanct.This is not a clich; it is what our forefathers settled for at the Lancaster Conference. It was a clause proposed by the great Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe, the leader of the Eastern delegation, and was agreed upon by all, that Nigeria shall exist in perpetuity.
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