Why there won’t be national conference — Presidency

The Presidency again, on Tuesday, foreclosed a national conference of the federating states in the country.

Speaking at a forum of All Progressives Congress Professionals Forum held at the party national secretariat, Senior Special Assistant, Media and Publicity to the President, Mallam Garba Shehu, said no one would bully President Muhammadu Buhari to convene a gathering of ethnic groups in the country.

In the vanguard of the agitation for a national conference are the Yoruba socio-cultural organisation, Afenifere, its counterpart in the South-East, Ohanaeze Ndi’gbo, and the Middle Belt Forum.

Mallam Shehu asked those canvassing for a new Constitution to avail themselves the opportunity provided by the Constitution Review Committee set up by the National Assembly.

He declared that it is the National Assembly that is statutorily vested with the powers to amend the Constitution.

He said: “Yes, there are problems and we are hoping that as people united and loving of one another, we will come together and solve our problems and that leads me to the question, whether there should be National Conference?

“What National Conference? Do you have more than a parliament? Anyone who is a democrat in heart, in practice in their beliefs they should believe in the tripartite structure of government. Governments that are democratic, there is a parliament, the executive arm of the government and the judiciary, each one being independent and cooperating with the other. We have an elected parliament, which has a mandate as the custodian of the sovereignty of the Nigerian people.

“Look, a lot of these people were crying for this secession, they are unelectable. “If you think you are electable go around for a parliamentary seat whether House of Representatives or Senate and come and table an amendment for the Constitution.

“The process is ongoing as we speak now under the Deputy Senate President. They are calling for Memoranda, why can’t you present what you want? So the issue is that people who are not democrats want a parallel parliament to be set up and this Constitution does not recognise two parliaments in this country. We have one parliament that is sovereign, that is the custodian of the sovereignty of the Nigerian people.

“If your member representing you has failed to present this request that you want whether it is a change of the structure at state, local government or national level pull him out four years after, don’t vote for him. Put another representative who will do what you want. This is how democracy works, periodic elections.”

On the demand for the Balkanisation of the country in certain quarters, the Presidential spokesman said President Buhari would not be cowed to take action which could be detrimental to the corporate existence of the nation. He also noted that credible voices and state actors where proponents of secession are resident are against the agitation.

“Look, one thing with this President and the national secretary has said a bit of that, you can’t intimidate Buhari. You can’t bully him. A lot of these people who are calling for secessions are the problem of this country and I’m happy that reasonable voices are now rising. Is it not only yesterday we are reading Afenifere, the most credible faction of Afenifere saying we are not for secession?

The Ohanaeze Ndi’gbo said this over and over again. So this thing about secession is, they had used it in the past. The Governors in the South-West, we have all heard them, they have denounced all of these things. So it’s a sham, Nigerians want to be one, they want to continue.”

Earlier in his remarks, National Secretary of the APC Caretaker and Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee, Senator John Akpanudoedehe, said no administration has surpassed the Buhari administration in terms of commitment to the needs of Nigerians.

“There has never been a government like this in the history of the nation. And I am not playing politics. Show me any government that has done much than President Buhari that has a direct link with the masses.

“Everywhere in Nigeria, people are having access. The president has thrown his door open for everybody. It doesn’t matter which party you belong to. In the days of PDP, it was not so. It is either PDP or nothing. The President allows everyone to key into his program. As I am talking with you now, people are collecting loans and COVID-19 palliative. Go to the Ministry of Labour and you will find people collecting 450,000 to N1 million. And they are not saying anything.

“Nigerians are enjoying the program. And he is a listening President. We thank you the professionals. In the face of difficulties, frustration and in all, you still stand with the party. You still defend the President. Most of the defence in Twitter by you, I have seen them. You are not selfish. There is nothing you do in this life that the reward is not there. ”

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