The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Tuesday said it would not accept an alleged attempt by the All Progressives Congress (APC) to manipulate the system and frustrate the widespread clamour and efforts by Nigerians for a genuine restructuring.
The PDP also described the alleged plans by the APC to smuggle the partisan report of its committee on restructuring into the National Assembly to replace the 2014 National Conference Report, as an unpardonable assault on the sensibility of over 200 million Nigerians whose collective interests were contained in the conference report.
This was contained in a statement issued by its National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan on Tuesday.
“Nigerians are also alerted of a fresh ploy by some ambitious APC leaders to blackmail the legislature and create an impression of commitment to restructuring, just to beguile the people and soften the ground for their personal political and particularly, presidential ambitions ahead of the 2023 elections.
“Our party stands at the forefront of efforts for genuine restructuring, but we hold that the authentic materials for a genuine restructuring are contained in the 2014 National Conference report, wherein, Nigerians, across all the divides, collectively provided a road map out of our constitutional quagmires; and not a partisan report by the APC.
“It is, therefore, unacceptable that the 2014 National Conference report, which embodies the desires and hopes of over 200 million Nigerians, has been shelved by President Muhammadu Buhari, since his predecessor in office, President Goodluck Jonathan, personally handed it over to him in 2015 for implementation in line with the wishes and aspirations of the people.
Our party, therefore, charges President Muhammadu Buhari to bring out the 2014 National Conference Report, dust it up and present it as an executive bill to the National Assembly to guide the desired amendment to the 1999 Constitution (as amended) with regard to restructuring,” the statement read in part.
