The Pan-Yoruba Socio-Political organisation, Afenifere has restated its call on President Muhammadu Buhari to urgently restructure Nigeria before the 2023 general elections.

The group, in a communique issued at the end of its meeting in Ijebu Ode on Tuesday said it took notice of President Muhammadu Buhari’s address at the United Nations, especially where he called for the Reform of the world body and his recommendation of dialogue to resolve Palestinian/Israeli issues.

It enjoined the president to key into restructuring that it (Afenifere) has been advocating as restructuring is similar to the Reform that the President wants to see at the UN.

“In the same vein, the Dialogue our President recommended for Israel and Palestine is not different from the meeting with ethnic nationalities and other stakeholders in Nigeria that we have been advocating for. With the President stating his positions on these issues on the global arena, it is hoped that he would give a nod for them to be immediately effected in Nigeria.

“Afenifere again reiterated its position that Restructuring remains the panacea to solve the multi various problems bedevilling the country now. And we insist that this Restructuring should be done before the next elections in the country.

“In the meantime, every community must be at alert to realise that they must defend themselves from bandits who seem to have declared war on Nigeria,” it said.

The group also noted with serious concern the security problems that are festering in the country.

“The meeting therefore, for the umpteenth time, called on the Federal Government and security agencies to buckle up and be more decisive in the way they tackle security issues that have have made living in Nigeria painful, short and brutish.

“We call on the government and security agencies to stop the kid glove treatment with which terrorists and kidnappers are being handled.

“Afenifere believes that terrorism and related vices including kidnapping are on the increase in part because of the double standard being played by the government and security agencies on this matter,”it said.

The communique signed by Comrade Jare Ajayi, National Publicity Secretary of Afenifere, added that “it is a known fact that Afenifere strongly stands by the Southern Governors in their resolution on anti grazing laws, on Value Added Tax and on a person of Southern extraction becoming the President of Nigeria in 2023.

“We note with delight, the court judgment that empowers the states to collect VAT. We urge states governments to further explore more areas to deepen democracy and enhance the frontier of true federalism in Nigeria.

“We commend the steps taken by governors of the South West on the establishment of security networks like Amotekun and that of the South East on Ebube Agu.

We urge the national authorities to let these security networks be transformed into states police forces. We strongly believe that doing so will arrest the pace at which Nigeria is fast descending into a state of anomie.”