Enugu and Ebonyi State chapters of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Monday, insisted on entrenching zoning of political positions in Nigeria’s constitution.
They took their stand while making presentations before the APC committee on restructuring, which held a public hearing in Enugu for the South-East zone.
Speaking on behalf of the Enugu APC, the Director-General of the Voice of Nigeria, Mr. Osita Okechukwu said upon completion of 8-year tenure by President Muhammadu Buhari in 2013, the power should move to the Southern Nigeria and by extension the South-East.
He as well lambasted the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, for trying pretending to be champions of restructuring, even after they wasted 16 years of opportunity to do carry out the exercise.
He said, “it is a matter of how, when, and which phase, we deploy the Art of Compromise to cross over the ubiquitous national question. This is the fault line which the champions of today’s restructuring were unable to surmount in their 16 years in power.
“This showcases the grand irony, if not the grand conspiracy that the new champions and agitators for restructuring are the same members of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and their associates who ruled Nigeria for 16 years of our 4th republic.
“The painful irony is that they never devolved any power, never created more states, and more local government councils for the disadvantaged zones like the South East.
“The worst is that they did not only dislocate our economic substructure, but created the largest number of poor people in Africa and conversely the richest man in Africa. They squandered over $16 billion meant for the provision of electricity, which could have lifted millions out of poverty.
“The outcome of PDP’s planlessness and squandermania is that our fault lines were widened, youths in general without employment, and glaring in our face today, is scant hope for the future of the greatest number of Nigerians.
“What must be done – the truth of the matter is that we must not be distracted by the PDP and their vile propaganda, as they are deliberately weaving duplicity into statecraft, by yelling restructuring, with 2019 general elections as their target.
“At the same time we must listen to the outrage of our compatriots over skewed appointments, though temporary and transient, if politically correct it breeds as the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria admonished, national cohesion, loyalty and national unity. We appeal as well that outstanding federal appointments should be distributed fairly and quickly to our members nationwide.”
While commending the APC for initiating the restructuring process, Okecuhkwu described it as “the core height of the Art of Compromise”, stressing “for this we appeal to other political parties, specifically the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to embrace it.”
He declared that the Enugu State Chapter of the APC “are in the league of those who agree that the federal government is over centralized, hence True Federalism is eminently provided in the Manifesto of our great party.
“Further more, we sincerely do not think that this public hearing will hold if APC is opposed to restructuring.”
The Enugu APC demanded for “creation of Adada State as an additional state to bring the South East, at par with others. This will serve as the national consensus of equity and justice to the South East.
“We subscribe to Local Government Council Financial Autonomy, whereby amount standing to the credit of Local Government Council shall be paid directly from the Federation Account. Thus amending Section 162(5) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as amended.
“To harvest the envisaged autonomy of the Local Government Councils and empower them to serve the people at the grassroot; we demand for the repeal of State Independent Electoral Commission, because the ugly history of elections conducted by the State Independent Electoral Commission nationwide will defeat the intendment of the autonomy.
“We demand for the establishment of State Police, to enable the State Police to address the peculiar circumstances of each state. Therefore Section 214(1) of the 1999 Constitution should be amended.”
On fiscal federalism, revenue allocation, they proposed that “Section 162(2) of our Constitution shall be amended to – Provided that the Principle of Derivation shall be constantly reflected in any approved formula as being not less than 20% of revenue accruing to the Federation Account directly from any natural resources.”
They backed presidential system of government, Independent Candidacy and subscribed to “the convention of rotation at national, state and local government council areas.”
Similarly, speaking on behalf of Ebonyi State APC, Chief. Egwu Chima toed the line of their Enugu counterparts.
They, however, disagreed on state police and restructuring, stressing that “we don’t want to go back to Egypt.”
Earlier, the Enugu State Chairman of the party, Dr Ben Nwoye has insisted that despite information in social media that Igbos want to secede, the Igbos want to be part of Nigeria and True Federalism.
Nwoye called on the good people of Enugu State to participate actively in the meeting as well to submit their memoranda.
He stated that the committee will offer platform for people to air their views on how the country could be restructured.
Comments