Atiku Abubakar, Former Vice President of Nigeria has stated
that true federalism and restructuring would address the grievances by
different ethnic groups in the country, adding that the adoption would also
address secession threat by members of the proscribed Indigenous People of
Biafra (IPOB) Atiku stated this in a chat with journalists at the state
secretariat of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Finbarrs Road, Umuahia, the
Abia State capital after a closed door meeting with national delegates of the PDP
during his visit to the state.
While debunking insinuations that the Northerners were
averse to restructuring, he stated that all that was needed is for all the
sections of the country to come to a roundtable to redefine how best to move
the country forward.
Atiku, who was earlier received at the exec chamber of the
state by Governor Okezie Ikpeazu accused the All Progressives Congress (APC)
under the watch of President Buhari of destroying the achievements of the
16years of PDP leadership in the country within three years of being in power.
He informed his host that he was in the state to woo the
national delegates ahead of the party’s national convention and presidential
primary coming up later this year.
He used the opportunity to commend the efforts of the
Ikpeazu’s led administration in the state which he (Atiku) noted has brought
transformation and development to the state.
This is as he described Aba, the commercial hub of the state
as a city with great economic potential which any serious government cannot
overlook. “I believe that when you restructure this country and give more
resources and powers to component units of this country, you will not have the
problem of IPOB. IPOB is looking for self determination and when you devolve
more powers and resources that will take care of the agitation. “Our great
party is at crossroads as well as the country.
We have never been so divided all my life in this country
the way that we are divided today between the north, south and east and
Christians and Muslims. It is a very serious issue.
“We have the issue of insecurity. You are not secure in any
part of the country. Of course, we have one of the greatest economic declines
in the history of this country.
There had never been a time we recorded 11 million people
out of their jobs in this country. This is the first time that we are
witnessing that. In every aspect of the country, we have gone back. While other
countries are forging ahead, we are declining.
There is no unity, no security and the economy is bad as
well. “Therefore, it has become imperative that we put our heads together and
unite and make sure that we elect a leader that can reverse all these negative
development this party (APC) has brought to this country.
It is on record that 16 years of PDP administration in this
country improved the standard of living of this country.
“During the PDP era, Nigeria was declared a debt free
country but within three years, all the 16 years achievements of the PDP have
been reversed completely by the APC led administration.
So, there is need for us to elect a leadership that can
reverse all these negative growths that we have witnesed in the last three
years. “I have been an advocate of either local or community policing to deal
with local issues. I do not know of a federation that has a centralised
policing.”
In his response, Dr. Ikpeazu described Atiku as a man that
has great administrative and leadership experience who has been able to make
his marks in both public and private sectors and expressed hope that he (Atiku)
would use his experience to bring transformation to all sectors of the country.
According to Ikpeazu: “It is important that Nigerians should take the right
decision in choosing who leads them if the country must move forward from its
precarious state.”
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