THE Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) National Working Committee (NWC) and its Governors Forum have mandated members of the party in the National Assembly to initiate a bill for the restructuring of the country as it believes that the All Progressive Congress (APC) is only paying lip service to the issue.
The APC committee on restructuring recently submitted its report to the party where it recommended wide-ranging initiatives to restructure the country.
But the PDP national leadership and the governor’s rising from a meeting in Asaba, Delta state on Sunday, said restructuring was the brainchild of the leading opposition party as could be seen in the national conference its organized in 2014.
In a communique signed by the National Chairman of the party, Prince Uche Secondus and the chairman of the forum, Governor Ayo Fayose of Ekiti state, the party maintained that the PDP had been the author of restructuring and this was further expressed in the Report of the 2014 National Conference.
The communique said that APC “as a later day convert of restructuring is merely paying lip service to a matter of national importance.”
The meeting, therefore, mandated “our members in the National Assembly to immediately commence the process of initiating a Bill to address issues bothering on restructuring.”
The communique condemned in strong terms what it saw as “the massive corruption going on in the management of fuel subsidy regime which the Federal Government had declared non-existent while billions of Naira are deducted monthly at Federation Accounts Allocation Committee (FAAC) meetings.”
It said the PDP states and local governments were vehemently opposed to the unilateral withdrawal of USD1Billion from the Excess Crude Account by the Federal Government under any guise.
“We want to state unequivocally that neither the Governors’ Forum nor the Federal Executive Council has the power of appropriation of Federation Accounts, as such powers reside with the National and State Assemblies,” the communique declared.
The meeting similarly condemned
“the unabated killings across the country,” calling on President Muhammadu Buhari to “come out clean on the herdsmen killings and address the nation on how to end the carnage.”
It added: “The President must take responsibility on the protection of lives and property of Nigerians which is the most important of his responsibilities.
“We believe that the Federal Government’s decision to set up a Committee to address the issues of herdsmen killings is a pretentious approach to a matter that requires firm action and leadership by the President in line with his oath of office to protect all Nigerians irrespective of creed, tribe and political affiliation.”
The PDP chieftains urged the president to henceforth direct the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to adhere to the Rule of Law by obeying Court judgements and orders such as the one involving the Ekiti State Government against EFCC and restrain itself from further political intimidation and harassment of known or perceived political opponents.
The communique commended the judiciary for their commitment to the enthronement of constitutional democracy in the face of intimidation and harassment.
It also commended members of the leading opposition party for their unalloyed support, saying: “We reiterate that our repositioned party is prepared for the 2019 elections and will ensure that all Nigerians aspiring to elective offices are free to contest on the platform of the PDP.
ALSO READ: APC’s report on restructuring, a deception ―PDP
“We want to assure that no established organ of the party is allowed to align with any presidential aspirant. We thank the people and government of Delta State for playing host to this all-important meeting.”
and then