The All Progressives Congress (APC) Committee on True
Federalism has tabled twelve issues for discussion during the public hearings
on restructuring scheduled to commence on Septemeber 18, 2017 in various parts
of the country.
Besides, the committee said it will consult the report of
the 2005 Political Reforms Conference, the 2014 National Confab and reports of
previous national conferences in its assignment to determine the party’s
position on restructuring.
The Secretary of the Committee, Senator Olubunmi Adetunmbi,
unfolded the 12-point agenda at a news conference in Abuja.
According to him, the public hearing which will hold in
Benin, Enugu and Ibadan will end with a meeting with civil society
organisations and professional groups in Abuja on October 9.
Adetunmbi said the committee met four times and identified
12 key issues for discussion during the public hearing.
He said: “Accordingly, and pursuant to its mandate, the
Committee met, deliberated and listed out the following issues and called for
memoranda from members of the public.
“The 12 issues Nigerians will have opportunity to air their
views on are:
1. Creation/merger of states and the framework and guidelines for achieving that
1. Creation/merger of states and the framework and guidelines for achieving that
2. Derivation principle bordering on what percentage of
federal collectible revenue should be given back
3. Devolution of powers on what item on the exclusive
legislative list should be transferred to the recurrent list and federating
units, especially state and community police, prisons
4. Federation Units: Should Nigeria be based on regions or
zones or 36-state structure
5. Fiscal federalism and revenue allocation.
6. Form of government (parliamentary or presidential)
7. Independent candidacy.
8. Land tenure system.
9. Local government autonomy.
10. Power sharing and rotation
11. Resource control; and
12. Type of legislature.
Adetunmbi said contributions would not be limited to members
of the party, but to all Nigerians who have something meaningful to say on the
development of the country.
“We must recognise that the work of nation building is an
ongoing process in which every stakeholder has a role to play, by making his
own contribution. In this case, the APC as a national political party is an
institution and a stakeholder that has a role to play in making its own
contribution.
“This exercise is its own way of making that contribution.
The APC felt that it is not necessary to think alone among ourselves, but to
also ask members of the public what they think. That is why everything this
Committee is doing is not about its own opinion, but harvesting the opinion of
the ordinary people in order to form an opinion. After all, no political party
exists just by itself, but by the mandate of people.
“In this regard, we have put up an announcement calling on
members of the public to submit memorandum and meet us at designated venues
without any discrimination. So, it is an open invitation to all Nigerians to
attend and make their views and voices to count.”
By Chijioke Jannah
