The Governor of Osun State, Rauf Aregbesola, has called for the restructuring of the country, warning that the current structure with 36 states will not work in the face of current economic realities.

Governor Aregbesola made this call while speaking at an event to mark the 24th anniversary of the annulled June 12, 1993, election.

Arguing that the country’s revenue cannot maintain the system of government it operates, Aregbesola called for the number of states in the country to be pruned to six, based on the geo-political zones.

According to him, it is time for the country to get restructured in line the federal system of government being operated in India.

He said in India, states are created based on people who speak the same language and have same cultural values.

The governor also canvassed a return to a parliamentary system of government.

Under this system, he said a president would be elected for each of the six states after which the six presidents would elect a president for the country.

Speaking on the theme, ’24 Years After June 12: Challenges of Democracy in Nigeria’, a professor of history at Osun State University, Osogbo, professor Siyan Oyeweso, said the late M.K.O Abiola remained a symbol of democracy.

Professor Oyeweso, who said 24 years after the June 12, 1993, election, Nigerians were still yearning for good governance and development, called on political leaders to retrace their steps by strengthening the nation’s democracy.

On his part, a human rights activist, Mr Femi Aborisade, said Nigerians have not tasted true dividends of democracy and urged politicians to change their attitude to political offices.

In his opening remark, the chairman of the event and Senator representing Osun East, Senator Babajide Omoworare, noted that June 12 was key to the present Democratic governance hence the need for government to recognise the day as Democracy Day.