Akande seeks true federalism, hails Tinubu’s restructuring

By Boye Oyeyemi –

Former Interim National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief Bisi Akande, has called for purposeful restructuring to restore genuine federalism and ensure equal opportunities for national development.

Speaking at the Southwest Summit held at The Dome, Akure, Akande said Nigeria is undergoing a quiet but profound restructuring under President Bola Tinubu through regional empowerment and institutional decentralisation.

He commended the establishment of regional development commissions, including the Southwest Development Commission (SWDC), describing them as “economic engines” designed to drive growth from the grassroots and give each region control over its destiny.

“Nigeria began as a federation of regions with separate governments, but the military’s takeover after independence destroyed true federalism and replaced it with a unitary system,” he said, adding that the time has come for restitution through genuine restructuring.

Akande noted that Tinubu’s ongoing reforms in tax systems, agriculture, manufacturing, and solid minerals are deliberate steps to rebuild the economy, reward productivity, and reduce dependence on oil.

He urged the SWDC to move beyond bureaucracy and become “a movement of transformation” that tackles unemployment, insecurity, and disunity in the region while promoting innovation and development.

The elder statesman also called on the people of the Southwest to rally behind President Tinubu, describing him as “a leader with the courage to confront what must be changed”, and urged them to make the region a model where government works and communities flourish.