Elder statesman, Alhaji Tanko Yakasai, on Monday said the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), lacks the constitutional powers to restructure Nigeria.

He advised proponents of restructuring to channel their energies towards ensuring their representatives in the State and National Assemblies perform their statutory functions by providing the necessary legislative structure required to restructure the country.

Yakasai who spoke in a telephone interview with our correspondent in Abuja said, “The President does not have the powers to restructure Nigeria.

“He can initiate a bill just like every other Nigerian and send the same to the National Assembly for necessary action.

“I will urge proponents of restructuring to send proposals to the national assembly and put pressure on their representatives to do the needful.

“We need to follow the necessary procedure to achieve desired goals. We are currently running a constitutional democracy which requires dialogue and consultation.

“Whatever the issues are, we can approach our legislators and ensure that our voices are heard.”

The Second Republic Presidential Liaison Officer noted that Nigeria and Nigerians will be the better for it if issues were debated and agreements reached.

The General Overseer, the Redeemed Christian Church of God, Pastor Enoch Adeboye, and several other prominent Nigerians on Saturday called on the Federal Government led by the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), to urgently restructure the country to save it from breakup.

In an apparent response, the Presidency in a statement signed by Presidential Spokesman, Garba Shehu, said, “This is to warn that such unpatriotic outbursts are both unhelpful and unwarranted as this government will not succumb to threats and take any decision out of pressure at a time when the nation’s full attention is needed to deal with the security challenges facing it at a time of the Covid-19 health crisis.”