Honourable Nze Duru, the Deputy National Organising Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), has given assurance to Nigerians that the ruling party will fulfill its promise of devolving power to the federating states in the country.
Duru, who is a member of the APC National Working Committee, made this pledge during a conversation with journalists in Abuja over the weekend.
It has been revealed that the APC’s blueprint, which was presented to Nigerians prior to the 2015 general elections, prominently featured the concept of restructuring, also known as power devolution. During the tenure of former national chairman Chief Odigie Oyegun, a True Federalism Committee was established, with Mallam Nasir El Rufai, the former Governor of Kaduna State, serving as its Chairman.
The committee, which was formed in 2017 and submitted its report in January 2018, recommended various measures such as resource control, granting states authority over local government affairs, constitutional amendments to allow state mergers, the establishment of state police and state court of appeal, and the introduction of independent candidacy, among others. However, the report, which consisted of 23 recommendations, was disregarded by the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari.
The Deputy National Organising Secretary of the APC emphasized that in addition to the El Rufai Committee report, the party’s national leadership would work towards influencing party stakeholders and the administration of Bola Tinubu to consider adopting certain recommendations from the National Conference Committee, which was established during the administration of Goodluck Jonathan.
He urged the media to prioritize the issue of power devolution in national discussions. He emphasized the importance of the media taking the lead in advocating for the adoption and implementation of not only the confab report but also the El-Rufai report, which was endorsed with some improvements.
The issue of power devolution and restructuring is a fundamental aspect of these reports and aligns with the ideology and philosophy of the APC party, on which the current administration campaigned.
He called on the media to treat these reports as sacred texts and hold our leaders accountable for their implementation. Implementing these recommendations would benefit Nigeria by reducing the cost of governance, promoting a level playing field in business and politics, and instilling a sense of belonging among Nigerians.
The media, being aware of the party’s philosophy, manifesto, and the El-Rufai and confab reports, has a crucial role to play in championing this cause.
In regards to the recent move by certain opposition parties to form a coalition against the APC in the upcoming general elections, Honourable Duru expressed that the party is not threatened.
He emphasized that the present administration has consistently impressed Nigerians with its performance and its stance on important national issues. Duru stated that recent events have instilled a sense of optimism among Nigerians, as they believe that this government is attentive and responsive to their concerns.
He highlighted the government’s willingness to address allegations against its officials by allowing unfettered investigations, which demonstrates its commitment to transparency. Duru also pointed out the various actions taken by the government in recent weeks, which have given hope to Nigerians that the APC may become even stronger in the coming years, leading up to the next election.
He expressed the desire for the opposition party to engage constructively with the APC, while emphasizing that it is the responsibility of the APC to continue leading the way.
Duru acknowledged the importance of understanding the actions of the opposition party in any political dispensation, but assured that the government is working diligently in the best interest of the Nigerian public. He concluded by affirming the continued support of the government in delivering the benefits of democracy to the people of Nigeria.
