Seek restructuring, six regions

ACN links 2015 debate to Jonathan’s performance

FOR the Federal Government to effectively come to grips with its multi-faceted problems, it has to support the persistent call for a national conference where the citizens will determine their terms of existence.

This was the position the Northern States Christian Elders Forum (NORCEF) reached at an emergency meeting yesterday.

The Northern Christian elders from the 19 Northern states who met in Kaduna pointed out that it was time the National Assembly members supported the immediate convocation of a national conference to tackle the country’s challenges.

This appeal came as the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) alleged that  “ the record-setting mediocre performance of the Jonathan Administration and its policy inconsistencies, more than anything else, are fuelling the ongoing debate on whether or not the President will seek re-election in 2015.”

Reacting to a Presidency statement over the ‘’growing furore in political circles and the media’’ over the President’s alleged ambition for 2015, the party said in a statement issued in Lagos yesterday by its National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, that a government that fails to perform has created a conducive atmosphere for rumours that will inevitably overheat the polity.

In a statement issued by the NORCEF National Chairman, Matthew Owojaiye and Secretary General, Iliya Yusuf, the Northern Christians urged the Federal Government to respect the agitation by Nigerians for a national conference.

“We need to restructure Nigeria. We want the six geopolitical zones to become regions with a little alteration here and there according to the wishes of the people”, they said.

They continued: “Each zone will manage its resources and pay tax to the Federal Government as it was in 1960, 63 constitution. The Federal Government will take off its hands from education, agriculture, water resources, industries, mineral resources, research and technology, health, power generation, women affairs, youths and sports, works and housing.

“The Federal Government will be solely in charge of defence, foreign affairs, customs and aviation. The regions and the Federal Government would share judiciary, the police and Information

Ministry. All the Federal Government’s parastatals and ministries that siphon trillions of naira every year will be scrapped.”

The Arewa Christian elders said that the adoption of true federalism would make “wastage and outright looting of public funds to be a thing of the past”, adding that  “each region will develop at its own pace and the Federal Government will get less than 30 per cent of what it is getting now while taking power at the centre will become less attractive.”

Noting the urgency of the national conference, the Northern Christians said: “We warn the National Assembly and the Federal Government not to turn deaf ears to the cry for a national conference. It is an urgent need. Failure to do this may consume them as it may consume Nigeria. We agree with Elder Dr. Maitama Sule that Nigeria should not be allowed to break. We commend the Northern Elders for calling for meetings to see how to build unity in the North.”

According to them, Christians in the North have not fought back in the face of incessant attacks on them because they believe that doing so is sinful and that it is unfair to attack, kill or maim innocent people.

In the statement by Mohammed, the ACN said:

‘’Mr. President, we in the ACN are not bothered about whether or not you plan to run in 2015. What concerns us now is how to alleviate the collective suffering of the Nigerian people, who have experienced more pain than gain in one year of your administration, and have yet to reap the fruits of democracy almost 15 years of the country’s return to constitutional order under

your party’s watch.

‘’If we must be frank, this past one year has been like four for Nigerians who have been subjected to untold hardship and the effects of a catalogue of bad and inconsistent policies. As governance takes the back seat and meaningless politicking becomes the order of the day, many wish the four years of your administration would just pass… to give them the opportunity to make a better choice of leadership. This is what is driving the 2015 debate.’’

The ACN reminded the President that his administration started off on a wobbly note, when it flew a kite on tenure elongation that backfired and quickly eroded what many called the goodwill that ushered him into Aso Rock.

“This was followed by the ill-advised fuel subsidy removal that has now turned into a fiasco; the poorly-managed aftermath in which peaceful protesters were crushed by gun-totting soldiers, even in a democracy; the unprecedented corruption revealed by the fuel subsidy probe, and an equally-horrendous looting of the public treasury in all sectors.

‘’Add this to what is arguably an all-time low supply of electricity that has thrown vast swath of the nation’s landscape into darkness, the rising unemployment, worsening state of infrastructure and monumental insecurity of lives and property, and you have a ready mix of ingredients that will easily overheat a polity,’’ the party said.

It said the situation had been compounded by the discordant tunes from those who are close to the President.

‘’While some said he will surely run in 2015, others said he has not yet made up his mind. This is reminiscent of the situation in other spheres. Top government officials attribute the Boko Haram crisis to different causes, and conflicting signals are being sent out now on whether those indicted in the fuel subsidy probe will be prosecuted or not. These are the causes of the growing disillusionment in the polity,’’ ACN said.

The party advised the President to shun the “palace jesters masquerading as his advisers, gird his loins afresh and restore hope to his compatriots.”

-Guardian

Posted by admin on May 7 2012. Filed under Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Headlines. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry