Transportation Minister Rotimi Amaechi says the threat to set fire on Nigeria over refusal of President Muhammadu Buhari to restructure the nation is childish.
His successor and Rivers State governor, Nyesom Wike, had last week called for restructuring, failure of which will set the country ablaze.
“If the president does not do, given the opportunity he has now, then, he will put Nigeria on fire,” Mr Wike said Thursday reports Vanguard.
Reacting, Mr Amaechi, a former Rivers governor, said his successor was being childish by issuing out the threat as no one can set the nation on fire.
“That is not something that should come out from the mouth of a governor. It shouldn’t come out from the mouth of a governor,” the minister who also blamed hunger and poverty for rising insecurity said while appearing on Channels Television yesterday.
“Don’t forget that President Goodluck Jonathan ran under the auspices of South-South presidency. We talked about restructuring and resource control but he was there for six years and the resources were not controlled neither were they handed over to the South-South. It is much more than that.
“I am from the South-South and while I agree that we are not fairly treated, I don’t also agree anybody can set the country on fire; no president should act on such threat. A more matured person won’t make such comment.
“Why is it that it is only when the north is in power that we raise the issue of restructuring? Have we asked ourselves that we had the opportunity of been in government for six years and nothing changed?
“I’m not against the president addressing the demands but the president can’t address them under threats,” he added.
