Atiku Abubakar, the presidential candidate on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has restated his commitment to devolution of power and restructuring of Nigeria if elected president of Nigeria. He accused the ruling All Progressives Congress of refusing to fulfil its promise of restructuring the country.
Mr Abubakar, the former vice-president, said this on Thursday in Abakaliki during a presidential rally in Ebonyi. He emphasised that if elected, his administration would be committed to devolving more power to states and restructuring the country to meet the clamour for federalism.
He said Igbos in the South-East had been clamouring for restructuring to enable them to have more powers to deal with their local affairs and assured the people that restructuring would be a major policy of his administration if elected as Nigeria’s president.
He alleged that the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) had failed in its promise to restructure the country and urged Igbos in Ebonyi to reject the party in the February 25 presidential and parliamentary elections. The former vice-president, received by a crowd at the Pa Oruta Ngele Township stadium in Abakaliki, thanked the people for their support for the PDP since its inception in 1999.
“I am committed to power devolution and restructuring; the South-East zone has been yearning and has been propagating for restructuring of this country because they want to have more powers, more resources to deal with their local affairs,” stated Mr Abubakar. “We agree and that is why it will be a major policy thrust of our government if you support us and if you allow us to become the next president.”
He added, “APC had promised the same. Did they do it? They abandoned the said issue of restructuring. They are a very deceitful party or alliance, very deceitful. We are committed and we mean what we say and if you give us the support, we will deliver.”
APC presidential candidate Bola Tinubu will face off against Mr Abubakar, a former ally, in the February 25 presidential poll.
(NAN)
