Acting President Yemi Osinbajo

Acting President Yemi Osinbajo has refuted the news report quoting Chief Ayo Adebanjo as saying he described those agitating for restructuring as political jobbers.

Mr Laolu Akande, the acting president’s Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, stated this in a statement issued in Abuja on Tuesday.

The presidential spokesman stated that at no time did the Acting President say that those asking for restructuring were political jobbers looking for appointments.

He said: “The video, audio tapes and full text of his speech at the National Security summit organised last week by the Department of State Services, DSS are publicly available.

“While several newspapers and media outlets reported Prof. Osinbajo’s said speech last Wednesday, not one of the publications made such a blatantly inaccurate claim that he said those asking for restructuring were political jobbers.

“Besides, the debate on restructuring is an important one and the calls for restructuring cover a wide range of legitimate and constitutionally valid issues.’’

According to the presidential aide, all Nigerians have both a right and a duty to advance their arguments on whether Nigeria should be restructured or not.

Akande recalled that the acting President had once expressed support for State police based on the community policing model, advocated for devolution of powers to the States and fiscal federalism.

“Besides, the Buhari administration has been active in supporting State rights in several ways including in fiscal matters and will continue to do so,’’ he added.(NAN)