The All Progressives Congress, APC was yesterday under fire
from friends and foes after its national chairman, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun
distanced the party from any pre-election promise to restructure the country.
Odigie-Oyegun claimed that the promise to devolve more powers to the states and
adopt the principles of true federalism as enunciated in the party’s 2015
manifesto did not amount to restructuring.
Odigie-Oyegun’s assertion, coming on
the heels of a declaration by APC governors to support the growing calls for
restructuring, appeared to put the national leadership and the governors who
are now dictating the policy for the party to be at odds. Briefing newsmen
Thursday night after a meeting of the party’s National Working Committee, NWC,
and its governors at the Imo State Government Lodge in Abuja, Chief
Odigie-Oyegun said the party never promised to restructure Nigeria’s federal
structure. He said: “If you want to know where APC is, read through the
manifesto and that is where APC stands. The APC did not say restructuring.”
Even the promise of devolution of powers to the states, Odigie-Oyegun inferred
was not a priority for the ruling party which he said is presently preoccupied
with how to provide food for Nigerians rather than restructuring.
His words: “What is more important? To fix the economy or to
embark on this political issue with all the contentious and different
interpretations that the public gives to it? It is very specific in the
manifesto, and we are not going to renege on it. No question about that. “It is
contentious, and a lot of people talk about restructuring without any
commonality. We have stated clearly what we want to do. They are devolution and
true federalism.
We really avoided the word restructuring because it means so
many things to so many people. We are coming to that but our priority for now,
for today is to fix the economy and restore hope, provide jobs to the teeming
millions of our youths all over the country. So it is a matter of priority.’’
The APC in its first item in its 2015 manifesto promised to: “Initiate action
to amend our Constitution with a view to devolving powers, duties, and
responsibilities to states and local governments to entrench true federalism
and the federal spirit.” The party’s seeming backtrack on the issue was flayed
yesterday from across the country.
Vanguard
Vanguard
