It is great that most parties have now identified their flag bearers for the 2019 Presidential Election. In that vein, I would love to congratulate President Muhammadu Buhari of the All Progressives Congress, and Alhaji Abubakar Atiku of the People’s Democratic Party as the two major contenders.
The debate is expected to be issue-based, and void of unnecessary propaganda (hopefully) from both camps.
One of such issues is that of #Restructuring which appears to be a major part of Alhaji Abubakar Atiku’s campaign of which, I am of the view, should be addressed.
#Restructuring, as an issue, is not new. Actually, it was a major part of the campaign of the All Progressives Congress back in 2014/15. Atiku was a member of the APC at the time.
After winning the 2015 Presidential Election, the All Progressives Congress did NOT jettison the topic of #Restructuring. Not at all. Rather, the APC went to the drawing board to identify the best way to go about the issue.
After months of painstaking assessment, the All Progressives Congress constituted the True Federalism Committee (@NGRTrueFed) headed by Mallam Nasir El-Rufai. The committee consisted of 23 members, some of whom have recently moved to other parties… https://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/headlines/239907-apc-inaugurates-el-rufai-led-23-member-committee-true-federalism.html
The True Federalism Committee got down to work and identified 12 major points that make up the general concept of #Restructuring, as defined by Nigerians from different walks of life.
What followed next was a Call for Memoranda from the general public, based on the 12 classifications, with a 13th option for any other issue anyone might relate to #Restructuring…
Following the Call for Memoranda was a series of Zonal Public Consultations across the country, covering all the geo-political zones. These consultations were structured to receive feedback from elders, women, the youth & CSOs.
The Public Consultations weren’t restricted to within the shores of Nigeria alone as the @APCUKingdom collaborated among themselves to host one for Nigerians in the UK…
While the consultations moved from zone to zone within Nigeria, some of us can still remember Alhaji Abubakar Atiku’s comments regarding the input from the North East zone, with particular reference to Gov. M.A. Abubakar’s contribution…
The seriousness of the consultations on #Restructuring (True Federalism) led to the invitation of Mallam Nasir El-Rufai to discuss the issue at Chatham House back in September, 2017…
The True Federalism Committee were working closely with the leadership of the National Assembly at the time, hoping for immediate and rapid deliberations as soon as the consultations were done, and the report sent to #NASS.
Back then, Hon. Yakubu Dogara and Sen. Bukola Saraki were (assumed to) still be members of the All Progressives Congress
At the end of the consultations, the Mallam Nasir El-Rufai-led @NGRTrueFed made the report of their findings public, and actually organized a public presentation for that.
For an extensive read on the report submitted by the True Federalism Committee, kindly click here to download a copy: https://www.proshareng.com/report/%20Elections%20/Summary-of-Findings-by-APC-True-Federalism-Committee/10931
With the amount of work put in by this All Progressives Congress administration regarding the issue of #Restructuring, I believe what Nigerians should know that we are beyond the conversation stage. Rather, focus should be on why National Assembly has never deliberated on it.
It is my hope now that Sen. Bukola Saraki is done with his games & gallivanting, he will reconvene the National Assembly, and get to deliberating on the tons of issues begging for their attention. Issues that would truly help to #GrowNigeria. Issues like the report on #Restructuring
While I also hope that Alhaji Abubakar Atiku and his people will put an end to bringing it up like it is something new. It isn’t, and the All Progressives Congress have already worked on it. We can move on to the issue of #Corruption whenever he is in the mood.
Thank you.
Eugene Bright C
