Ike Ekweremadu, Deputy Senate President,says the Federal Government at the central under President Muhammadu Buhari has become too powerful and no longer responsive to citizenry.

Ekweremadu added that restructuring remains the only way the interest of every Nigerian can be protected.

“Currently, Nigeria has a very powerful centre, hence the need for devolution of powers,” Ekweremadu said on Tuesday in New York, United States of America.

He was speaking after delivering a lecture on ‘Constitutionalism and the challenges of leadership in Africa: an evaluation of tested models.’

The event was organised by the Centre for Media and Peace Initiatives, a New York-based international non-governmental organisation, to mark its 10th anniversary.

Ekweremadu stressed the need for the country to be restructured from the current over-concentration of power at the centre, which was non-responsive to the citizenry.

“The central government that once appeared necessary and beneficent has compromised, even jeopardised its standing by perceived highhandedness, unfair treatment of some ethnic groups and abuse of power.

The powerful central government has made citizens vulnerable to bureaucratic manipulation and control and left them powerless, and reminded them at every turn that the promise of self-government has been eroded.” He said

He explained that a restructured Nigeria would be in the best interest of everyone as each geo-political zone would maximise its potentialities.

While speaking on the agitation for self- rule by the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), he said, “Nigeria does not require to be fragmented at this time. There is joy in being together.”

He added that, “What we need is giving everybody a sense of belonging and ensuring good governance.”