Zenith Labour Party’s, ZLP, presidential candidate, Dr Olusegun Mimiko, hsaid that restructuring of Nigeria into a true and balanced federation will advance the development of every part of the country.
Unveiling his plan for restructuring, the immediate past Ondo State governor said he would employ “legislative, constitutional and administrative approaches to ensure restructuring.”
He added that he would establish a special bureau to tackle the issue of restructuring on a daily basis.
He spoke in Ibadan during an interactive meeting tagged ‘Conversation with Mimiko’, where he rolled out his plan for Nigeria as the ZLP candidate.
In his words: “As an evangelist of restructuring, I have always said restructuring is not a North versus South issue.
“Restructuring will advance the development of every part of this country. It will ensure all the exotic minerals in the states are properly exploited to create jobs for people in the states and pay necessary taxes to the Federal Government.
“Restructuring is not about oil and gas alone, it’s about leveraging all natural resources that abound in all parts of the country to engender development.”
He lamented that Nigeria was on the edge of collapse after sinking to its lowest ranking among the league of nations around the world in terms of infrastructural decay and deepened security challenge.
Mimiko said the two mainstream parties lacked the capacity to take Nigeria to the level it truly belongs, stressing that his journey in the corridors of power had endowed him with the appropriate qualities to lead the nation.
He said: “There is no question about the fact that Nigeria is not running well. We are on the precipice of being a failed nation. Never in the history of this country have we had this level of despondency among the young ones, poverty is deepening and most importantly, there is wanton killing in our land.
“Never has lives been this devalued in this country. This is the time for those who believe in the virtue of their antecedents and what they can offer to stand up and be part of the process of a rebirth of Nigeria.
“I have been a lucky Nigerian; I have been commissioner twice in my state and secretary to the government, minister and had the privilege of being a two term governor of Ondo State. This experience cannot be for nothing.
“We cannot give up on this nation and that is why today I present what I think I can do and my vision of a greater Nigeria.”
Mimiko said that he had read about the rumour that he had no National Youth Service Corps certificate, saying that even though he had it, it was not part of the requirements of the Independent National Electoral Commission.
“I have submitted my papers to the Independent National Electoral Commission as the presidential candidate of the ZLP. For the avoidance of doubt, I did not submit my NYSC certificate because INEC did not ask for it. I served in Port Harcourt and I have my NYSC certificate. I have read about the propaganda in some newspapers that I and another candidate have no NYSC certificate.”
On how he hoped to tackle corruption if elected president in 2019, Mimiko said that he would deploy the power of Information Technology to fight the scourge.
“Fighting corruption should not be a selective war if Nigeria is truly desirous of ridding the nation of corruption. Corruption will be properly tackled with IT tools and Bank Verification Number which will make it possible and easy to track the movement of money across the country.”
Among those at the event were the ZLP governorship candidate in Ogun State, Chief Segun Odegbami; Secretary General of the Yoruba Elders Forum, Dr Kunle Olajide; and the party chairman in Oyo State, Wole Abisoye.
