Director General of the Progressives Governors Forum (PGF) Salihu Mohammad Lukman on Tuesday declared that Governors from the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) position on True federalism as was declared after their Ibadan meeting was merely a support to the earlier position of the ruling APC in its Governor Nasir El’Rufai led Committee
Lukman in a statement issued in Abuja, noted that there was so much hype about the resolutions which is contained in the Communique that was issued at the end of the meeting.
It would be recalled that the John Odigie Oyegun led APC National Working Committee (NWC) had earlier produced a True federalism report through a committee led by Governor Nasir El’Rufai of Kaduna State, which waspresented to President Mohammadu Buhari by the then leadership of the party.
The PGF boss emphasised that there was nothing new in the resolutions, adding that it rather re-enforced the current national consensus about the need for devolution of powers in the country, otherwise known as restructuring. “This is no longer a partisan matter but an issue of national imperative.
Already, Progressive Governors, in line with recommendations contained in the APC Committee on True Federalism, have taken a position on this matter and have since communicated it to the leadership of the National Assembly.
“Therefore, instead of playing politics on a matter that is beyond media campaign, PDP Governors should follow the footsteps of Progressive Governors by engaging the leadership of the National Assembly to speed up processes of Constitutional amendment.
“At this point, it is important to appeal to PDP Governors to again follow the footsteps of Progressive Governors by working to reform the PDP. If PDP Governors want Nigerians to take them seriously it must be based on a very honest disposition of acknowledging challenges faced by all our political parties.
Nigerians want to be able to have choices in terms of what political parties represent beyond the claims of politicians. As things are, PDP is a dissolute representation of an alternative for Nigerians.
“With all the smearing campaign going on, APC government has been able to do a lot in terms of facilitating devolution of powers from the Federal Government to the states. In line with recommendations of the APC Committee on True Federalism, many APC representatives in the two Chambers of the National Assembly have sponsored bills for relevant amendments to our laws. PDP Governors, in the spirit of the resolutions adopted in their Ibadan meeting should call on their representatives to support the passage of the bills.”
