The former President of Nigeria, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, has expressed that restructuring Nigeria is not the only solution to its problems, but Nigerians need to first restructure their minds and resolve the differences among them.     

The former president said this on Thursday, speaking at the 18th Daily Trust Dialogue with the theme: ‘Restructuring in Nigeria: Why? How? When?’

He said restructuring the country had its benefits but the elites must de-emphasize issues that polarised the people.

 “We cannot restructure without solving issues that polarize us which are nepotism, ethnic and religious differences and lack of patriotism.

 “Also, discussion on restructuring will not help except we restructure our minds. Some of the challenges faced at the national level are still there at the state and local government levels, and sometimes even in our communities.

“From Independence, the struggle was that politics was based on regions and there was this tension. It’s a dynamic blow between the regions who will produce the national leaders and that is still hunting us till today.”

Giving an instance of ‘Baby Frog and Baby Snake’ who related as friends until their mothers told them separately that one was food for the other, Jonathan expressed that “Our conversation in this country is taking the dimension of baby frog and baby snake. We are making our children hate themselves.”

He added that “In some states, it is not easy for some persons to win an election because of the area they come from. The language they speak or their religious belief.

“Take a look at how local government elections are conducted at the state level. Why is it very difficult for an opposition party to win a chairmanship or councillorship seat in a state, despite the fact that the same party probably secured seats in the state Assembly and National Assembly elections, organised by a federal election management body?

“This shows that restructuring alone may not solve all the anomalies in the system.”

However, former President disagreed to the twin ideas of the one-party system and unitary system of government as a panacea to the current state of political polarisation in the country.

 “Let me state for the records that I strongly oppose both the philosophy and the idea of a one-party system as well as the unitary system of government as a solution to ethnic and cultural diversity. That cannot solve the problem,” he stated.