The Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) National Reconciliation Committee and Governor of Bayelsa State, Henry Seriake Dickson has called for the establishment of a multiparty committee to work out the fine details of restructuring as proposed by the All Progressive Congress (APC) committee.
The APC committee submitted its report on Thursday.
Briefing newsmen in Abuja on Friday, the governor commended the APC committee for the first step and expressed the hope that the restructuring could be done before the next general election.
“If there’s a will, restructuring can be done before we election
There’s enough time,” he said.
He said when the multiparty committee is set up, it will develop a national consensus on the issues proposed and possibly draft a legislation to be presented to the national and state houses of assembly for passage.
The governor stated: “I want to say that at this time, if we are all sincere about the injustices, and inequities, then I call for a multiparty committee to deal with the final details of the issues, the issue of the police, the judiciary, the control of land. We need a multi-party committee to discuss and agree and work on draft legislation bills that will be jointly sponsored by the National Assembly.
“All of us need to mobilize national consensus to engage the National Assembly so that we can drive all these issues before the next election. That is the test of sincerity.”
Expressing surprise that the APC committee could come up with recommendations that others have been advocating for a long time, the Governor was of the view that the legislature should be engaged before the next election so that “we can have “an equitable, just and stable Nigeria with what they have done, there is hope for a united, prosperous country.”
He added: “This development came from unexpected quarters in a matter that is dear to us; the subject matter of restructuring to address the inequalities in our country.
“Yesterday (Thursday), El Rufai, who chairs the APC committee submitted the report. While it is true that we are dealing with a proposal, this is coming from unexpected quarters, and in the light of the opposition to restructuring from some leaders, I thought that what the APC did was unexpected.
“Let me start by commending the committee and the leadership of that party for making what I will call the most fundamental proposal dealing with the issue of restructuring. This is very refreshing, and for me, when I see what is right, I commend it; when I see what is in the best interest of our country, I commend it because my politics is driven by conviction, not convenience.
“With the kind of proposals that they have done, I thought I should appreciate their patriotism and commitment to building an equitable and prosperous Nigeria.”
Dickson said the issues were national issues and therefore, “we should not allow partisanship.”
On whether he thought the APC is sincere, he challenged the ruling party to prove “doubting Thomases” wrong, noting that the advocates of restructuring can only keep insisting.
On the reconciliation efforts in the PDP, the governor said his committee has had a robust interaction with aggrieved members of the party, saying, “we knew their grievances and felt their pain even more.”
He said the committee has taken note of their complaints and concerns and will the make appropriate recommendations to the leadership of the party soon.
He urged party members to be more selflessness, and to subordinate their ego to the party, adding: “People should stay and reorganize instead of jumping to the other side.”
Dickson reminded them that political parties are national institutions and the challenges in the PDP are not peculiar to the leading opposition party.
He said with the assurances of the national chairman of the PDP, “we believe we can provide a credible alternative to the other party.”