Speaking recently when he featured on a current affairs programme, ‘Focus Nigeria’, aired by the Africa Independent Television (AIT), Information Minister, Alhaji Lai Mohammed had said that given what the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari inherited, restructuring could not have been its priority.
Alhaji Mohammed explained that with the high level of corruption, downturn in the economy, insecurity, particularly with the activities of Boko Haram in the North-East, the government could not have contemplated restructuring.
But Nigerians who spoke with Tribune Online expressed consternation over the stance of the All Progressives Congress (APC)-led federal government which they described as rejection of the party promises to the Nigerian electorate as enunciated in its manifesto, ahead of the 2015 general elections.
Checks by Tribune Online revealed that the first item on the APC manifesto which was formally unveiled in Abuja on March 6, 2014 was the amendment of the Nigerian Constitution to ensure that the central government is decentralized through devolution of powers to 36 states in the federation and the 774 local councils.
The first item on the ruling party manifesto reads: “Initiate action to amend our Constitution with a view to devolving powers, duties and responsibilities to states and local governments in order to entrench true Federalism and the Federal spirit.”
Still on Constitution amendment, the party further promised to “Strengthen INEC to reduce/ eliminate electoral malpractices; amend the Constitution to remove immunity from prosecution for elected officers in criminal cases; Restructure government for a leaner, more efficient and adequately compensated public service,” amongst others.
Spokesperson of Afenifere, Yinka Odumakin told Tribune Online in a telephone interview that the statement attributed to the Information Minister, Lai Mohammed was unfortunate and expressed concern that Nigerians have been deceived by the APC which he noted offered electoral promises it knew it would not implement.
He said: “What APC has done is what I call, Advanced Vote Fraud – you know there is the Advanced Fee Fraud, section 419 in the Nigerian Constitution. Now, they cajoled the electorate on devolution of power to gather their votes, just like they make so many other promises which they started denying after the election. So, it is a political fraud.
“For the Information Minister to say it isn’t in the government first priority and that there is nothing wrong with the structure of Nigeria, I think the APC is turning out to be the Nigeria undertaker because Nigeria is tottering now at the edge of the precipice but unfortunately the ruling party doesn’t want to allow reform but they want to be remembered as the undertaker of Nigeria.”
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