Special Assistant to President Muhammadu Buhari on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, has taken a swipe at former President Olusegun Obasanjo over what he believes to be the poor handling of the security challenges of the country under his administration.
On Wednesday, the former President had suggested that amid growing insecurity in the country, the creation of state police would be a better option than community policing.
Obasanjo made the suggestion when the leadership of the National Association of Ex-local government chairmen in Nigeria paid him a courtesy visit in Abeokuta.
But Adesina criticized Obasanjo, insisting that when he had the opportunity to restructure the security architecture of the country, he failed to do so.
“Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has a right to hold a different opinion from what he held in the past but I recall that under him, restructuring of the federation was a key issue that Afenifere fought for, and then there was the issue of state police which also resonated loudly under him but he didn’t do anything in eight years. Like I said, he has a right to change his mind now but it doesn’t change the fact that he had the opportunity to do something about it and did not”.
When asked of the major obstacle of President Buhari’s execution of the restructuring, Adesina explained that the executive is not the custodian of political will.
Over the years, many have called for restructuring, with a firm belief that it is a viable solution to the myriad of challenges the country is facing.
One of those who have made that call is a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Chief Afe Babalola.
On Monday he called for an Interim National Government after the expiration of President Muhammadu Buhari’s tenure that would pave way for a new constitution for the country.
But reacting to this, Adesina, said: “to the best of my unlearned knowledge, it is not in our Constitution for an interim government to be set up”.
