APC Presents Report On True Federalism

The ruling All Progressives Congress made a public presentation of the report of its committee on True Federalism on Wednesday in Abuja.

The committee chaired by Kaduna state Governor, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, was charged with the responsibility to articulate the party’s position on issues surrounding the country’s structure and mode of governance, including resource control, state police, derivation principle and local government autonomy.

The Chairman of the APC, Chief John Oyegun, in his opening remarks, deemed the content of the report as the “considered views of the critical mass of the nation”.

He bemoaned the state of the country’s infrastructure, especially power and the railway system, but expressed confidence that with the implementation of the report, the infrastructural deficit as well as other challenges, will be bridged.

On his part, the Chairman of the committee, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, who was represented by Mallam Uba Sani, said the committee, through the report, has “defined the values that promote and connote true federalism, and proposed a clear roadmap on implementing recommendations.”

The presentation ceremony featured an interactive session where selected members of the audience engaged with a panel made up of eminent politicians and society leaders such as Hajiya Aisha Ismail, the former Minister for Women Affairs, Mr Alfred Kemepado, Secretary-General of the Ijaw Youth Council, and Mr Wale Osun.

Most of the participants in their submissions, commended the APC for its courage in articulating such views despite its position as the ruling party, and called for speedy implementation.

Some of the proposed recommendations in the report include; upward review of current revenue formula in favour of states, provision of legal framework for merging states, independent candidacy, and devolution of powers to states by the Federal Government.

The report also contains an action plan which details a step-by-step approach of how the proposed recommendations can be implemented.