The National Working Committee of the All Progressives Congress and the party’s governors, on Wednesday, fixed July 29, 2017, for the party’s ward congresses, marking the beginning of the APC’s national convention.
They also set a committee, headed by Kaduna State Governor, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, to come up with the ruling party’s definition of restructuring.
Others in the 10-member committee include the governors of Osun State, Rauf Arebegsola; Abdullahi Ganduje (Kano), and Simon Lalong (Plateau).
Other members are Ogun State Governor, Ibikunle Amosun; a former governor of Edo State, Prof. Oserheimen Osunbor; the APC National Organising Secretary, Senator Osita Izunaso; the National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi; and Hajia Fatima Bala.
Senator Olubunmi Adetumbi will serve as the committee’s secretary.
These were part of the decisions reached after a three-hour closed-door meeting between the APC’s NWC and the governors elected on the platform of the party.
The party leadership also agreed that henceforth, principal officers of the National Assembly, who are members of the party, would be part of the NWC/governors’ consultative meeting.
Briefing journalists after the meeting, APC’s National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, said, “Some of the key issues we discussed include restructuring, the national convention and the processes leading to the national convention of the party.
“We also decided that this regular meeting with the governors be extended to principal officers of the National Assembly.
“I have repeatedly mentioned it that when we mentioned setting up a committee on restructuring, what we are talking about is a committee that will articulate what the APC meant by restructuring.
“We have realised for some time now that when people talk about restructuring, we are no longer sure if they are talking about the same thing.
“People have said that the APC promised restructuring. So, we need to sit down as a party to develop a shared understanding of what we mean by restructuring in our manifesto.
“This committee, that is set up, is mainly to define exactly what the APC means by restructuring so that every member will know what exactly we mean. It is not a committee to set up modalities for restructuring.”
The APC had, in its manifesto, promised to, among other things, “Initiate action to amend our Constitution with a view to devolving powers, duties and responsibilities to states and local governments in order to entrench true federalism and the federal spirit;
“Restructure government for a leaner, more efficient and adequately compensated public service; require full disclosure in all media outlets of all government contracts of over N100m prior to award and during implementation at regular intervals.”
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