The National Working Committee (NWC) of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has announced its commitment to actively pursue the implementation of the true federalism report submitted by the committee chaired by former Governor Nasir El-Rufai. The disclosure came from Nze Chidi Duru, the deputy national organizing secretary of the APC, during an interactive session with the media in Abuja over the weekend.
A significant development in 2018, the APC established a 23-member committee led by Mallam Nasir El-Rufai to delve into the complexities of true federalism. The committee’s comprehensive report, submitted on January 14, 2018, recommended a devolution of power to states, particularly in critical areas such as policing and resource control.
However, despite these recommendations, the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari did not implement the report. This lack of action prompted Salihu Mohammed Lukman, a former national vice chairman (North West), to attribute the failure to the “existence of weak structures of the party.” Lukman argued that this failure negatively impacted the APC.
In light of these circumstances, Nze Chidi Duru revealed ongoing internal efforts by the Dr Abdullahi Umar Ganduje-led NWC to ensure the implementation of the true federalism report. Duru, who is a member of the NWC from Anambra State, emphasized the report’s significance in the APC’s ideology and philosophy, asserting that it formed a crucial part of the party’s campaign promises to Nigerians.
Duru urged the media, as the fourth estate of the realm, to champion the cause of holding the government accountable for the implementation of the report. He likened the report to a “Bible and article of faith” that should be placed before the country’s leaders. He argued that the successful execution of this report would have far-reaching benefits for Nigeria, including a significant reduction in governance overhead costs, the enhancement of a level playing field in both business and politics, and a strengthened sense of belonging for Nigerians within their respective areas of influence.
