Buhari Hasn’t Told Us Of Re-Contesting In 2019, Restructuring Not Our Language, We Want Devolution Of Functions - South-West APC

Buhari Hasn’t Told Us Of Re-Contesting In 2019, Restructuring Not Our Language, We Want Devolution Of Functions - South-West APC

Leaders of All Progressives Congress (APC) in South West states on yesterday said they were keener on the need for devolution of functions away from the centre to states and local governments than on calls for restructuring.

Former Interim Chairman, APC, Chief Bisi Akande who stated the group’s position at the South West APC meeting held in Ibadan, said restructuring was not in the manifesto or constitution of the party.
On the position of the party in the 2019 election, Akande said every member of the party was eligible to be the party’s flagbearer for the presidential election, pointing out that President Muhammadu Buhari was yet to inform the party of his intention to vie for re-election.

According to him, those advocates of restructuring were best poised to define whether they demanded restructuring of people or of politics.

“This is a meeting of the party leadership, outside and inside the government, not the party in politics. We are concerned about the services of our government to the people rather than electoral matters.”

“Restructuring is not our language. Go and ask those who are advocating for restructuring to define it. What we want is devolution of functions from the centre to the peripheral government, which are states and local governments. Restructuring is the language of other group of people. Ask them whether they mean restructuring of the people or of politics. Restructuring is not in the APC manifesto or constitution,” Akande said.

The meeting had in attendance National Vice Chairman (South West) of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief Pius Akinyelure, all governors of the South West on the platform of the APC, Governor Rotimi Akeredolu (Ondo); Governor Rauf Aregbesola (Osun); Governor Abiola Ajimobi (Oyo); Governor Ibikunle Amosun (Osun); Governor Akinwunmi Ambode (Lagos).

 “The President has not told us that he wants to contest in 2019. Anybody in our party is free to become the President of Nigeria. As soon as they indicate interest, we will set a process through which a candidate will emerge. If he (Buhari) has the ticket, then we will have no other thing to do than to present him as our candidate,” he said.

Others in attendance at the meeting were, former Governor of Oyo State, Chief Adebayo Alao Akala; former Governor of Ogun state, Chief Olusegun Osoba; Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dr Kayode Fayemi; former Governor of Osun state, Chief Olagunsoye Oyinlola; former Ekiti State Governor, Chief Niyi Adebayo.

The meeting also had in attendance, Minister of State for Niger Delta Affairs, Professor Claudius Daramola; Senator Olusola Adeyeye representing Osun Central; Minister of Communications, Barrister Adebayo Shittu; deputy Speaker, House of Representatives, Honourable Lasun Yusuf; and, Majority Leader, House of Representatives, Honourable Femi Gbajabiamila.