THE All Progressives Congress, APC, said on Thursday, June 29, it did not promise to restructure Nigeria, if voted into power. The party said what it promised was that it would ensure true federalism and devolution of power.

John Odigie-Oyegun, the APC national chairman, who spoke on Thursday, on a television programme, vowed that the party would fulfil its promises to Nigerian electorate. He, however, dismissed the possibility of the APC government allowing the emergence of a Biafran Republic, but assured that all issues in contention would be addressed by the government.

Oyegun said the priority of the APC-led government was not restructuring the country, but how to address the economic challenges, including how to put food on the table of the ordinary Nigerian and create jobs for the youths.

He said: “When the APC manifesto was being put together, it was discussed extensively. We chose our words carefully in putting that manifesto together and we are committed to what we have said in that manifesto. But look at it this way.

“If you ask a Nigerian youth today, will he say his number one preference is restructuring or will he say his number one preference is a job, food on the table, economic prospect, restoration of hope in the future. Will restructuring be the panacea that will solve that problem? That is the challenge we are confronted with as the APC.

“What is more important, to fix the economy or to embark on this political issue with all the contentious and different interpretation that the public give to it? It is very specific on the manifesto and we are not going to renege on it; no question about that. It is a matter of time.”

Oyegun said further: “The acting president has spoken forcefully on this issue, the leaders of that area are beginning to find their voice, there is no question at all, there must be a conversation. Out of that conversation will come the answers.”

—  Jul 10, 2017 @ 01:00 GMT