APC insincere about restructuring –  PDP

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has said the sudden interest by the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the restructuring agitations is a ploy to hoodwink Nigerians ahead of the 2019 general elections.

PDP’s spokesman, Dayo Adeyeye, in a statement on Sunday, said the main opposition party was reacting to comments by his colleague in the APC, Bolaji Ojo-Abdullahi, whom he quoted as saying the PDP has never been interested in restructuring.

But Adeyeye, while deriding APC’s leadership for not being interested in restructuring, said the refusal of the governing party to participate in the 2014 National Conference was predicated on a ‘narrow and selfish interest’.

He however urged opinion leaders and leaders of thought leaders around the country to participate in the restructuring process, adding it will ensure more functional and efficient governance at all tiers of government.

“This sudden resurrection of the ruling party’s interest in ‘restructuring’ after several months of denial by the Chairman of the APC, John Oyegun, Minister of Information, Lai Mohammed, some governors elected on the Platform of the Party and other senior party officials that the APC did not promise restructuring in its manifesto and during the campaigns in 2015 is the latest in a series of deceitful ploys designed and being implemented by the party to hoodwink Nigerians ahead of the 2019 General Elections.

“As the word implies, restructuring is a process of re-arrangement, re-organization or re-formation of the manner or way in which something (in this case governance) is done. As used in the Nigeria political lexicon, restructuring refers to the modification of the system of governance to guarantee the socio-economic and political growth and development of the Nigerian people.

“It is imperative to inform Nigerians that our party is not against the restructuring of the system of governance in the country in a manner that places Nigeria firmly on the path of growth, development and prosperity.

“Indeed, our party’s commitment to constantly seeking solutions to the challenges confronting the nation caused us to amend our Party’s constitution to include the equitable devolution (decentralization) of power for greater functionality, national integration and rapid economic and social reconstruction, amongst other things. Examples can be found in Preamble 2(b) and (e), Section 7(b) and (f), and many more provisions of our party Constitution.

“It is against the backdrop of our Party’s commitment to restructuring the system of socio-political governance in Nigeria for better functionality and efficiency that the administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan summoned a National Conference to recommend amendments to the Nigerian Constitution. This Conference submitted a report with several proposed amendments to the Constitution which the APC-led Federal Government has refused to implement more than two years later.

“It is imperative to point out that APC was the only political party which refused to attend the National Conference in 2014. It is also imperative to point out that APC’s refusal to participate at the Conference was predicated on a narrow and selfish interest.

“Further evidence of our commitment to the restructuring of the country is provided in a statement to newsmen by the National Chairman, Ahmed Makarfi, CON, on June 22, 2017.

“In light of the above, we reiterate our support for the restructuring of the system of Governance in the Country to ensure more functional and efficient governance at all tiers of government. We urge opinion leaders and thought leaders around the Country to participate in the process in the best interest of our Country and its people,” the statement reads in part.

The PDP urged Nigerians to disregard the statements of the APC with regards to calls for restructuring, saying it was mere propaganda to cover up their failure so far.

 

OWEDE AGBAJILEKE, Abuja