APC Not Backtracking On The Issue Of Restructuring,Oyegun Clarifies

Party under fire for reneging on electoral promise APC wants to fix the economy, not to restructure Nigeria—Odigie Oyegun

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 issue of restructuring whose ember was recently blown to a point of public discussion again by Former military president of Nigeria Ibrahim Babangida in his birthday remarks has been gaining reactions from