APC set to Hold NEC, to Adopt Report on Restructuring

APC

As the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) plans to hold it’s National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting, there are indications it will consider the report of the Governor Ahmad Nasir El-Rufai-led committee on restructuring.

Spokesperson of the party, Malam Bolaji Abdullahi, explained that the issue was tabled at the last NEC meeting, during which participants, including President Muhammadu Buhari, pleaded to be given an opportunity to study the report before adopting it.

The APC spokesman faulted the notion in certain quarters that the planned NEC meeting is being convened to iron out differences that arose over the extension of the Chief John Odigie-Oyegun-led National Working Committee (NWC) alongside other party executive members in the 36 states of the federation.

The NEC meeting, which may hold within the next one week, Abdullahi further stated, is being convened at the behest of chieftains of the party, to consider the report on the amendment of the party’s constitution.

“I know that the APC constitution amendment committee was inaugurated last year under the National Legal Adviser. It has got nothing to do with tenure extension,” he said, adding that the El-Rufai committee was mandated by the NWC to look into the clamour for the restructuring of the country.

The committee, he noted, backed the devolution of powers, resource control and the establishment of state police, just as it recommended that states have considerable control on solid and oil resources in their domains, subject to the approval of the National Assembly.

Among other recommendations, the committee called for policing to be moved to the concurrent list, enabling the creation of state police alongside a federal force with specified areas of jurisdiction.

It also proposed more revenue for states and reduction of federal share of revenues, because “majority of Nigerians feel that states should get more revenue, while the federal government should slim down a little bit.”

El-Rufai had said: “All minerals including oil and gas that are onshore will be vested in the states. However, all offshore oil should remain absolutely vested in the government of the federation.

Source: Guardian

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