Atiku reiterates commitment to restructuring, national unity

*Power devolution and state police on the cards,

FORMER Vice President and presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Atiku Abubakar, stated that a draft amendment bill for the restructuring of Nigeria was ready and would be introduced to lawmakers on the first day of sitting of the 10th Assembly's session, next year, as an executive bill.

Atiku also stated that state police, devolution of power, and resource control issues, all of which were hot topics throughout the restructuring process, were on his agenda.

The PDP presidential candidate stated this during his interaction with the members of the Nigeria Guild of Editors, NGE, on Wednesday at the Marriot Hotel in Lagos. He said that both the amendment bill and his five-point agenda, which he dubbed: "My Covenant With Nigerians," were the results of extensive consultations and professional advice.

He claimed to have put together a group of professionals with whom he had a series of meetings to brainstorm ideas for Nigeria's return to greatness.

Restructuring Bill is ready

Atiku said:  “In preparing the draft restructuring amendment bill, what I did was to assemble a team of lawyers, who are some of the best in the country.

''I picked lawyers from each of the six geo-political zones so that each zone would have representation and a sense of belonging in what we were packaging for Nigerians and also to take into account the interests of each component part of the country.

“What they have come up with, after series of sessions, is a draft bill that is ready as I speak to you. The bill is ready and it would be presented to the National Assembly on the first day of their sitting, after inauguration.

“Mind you, the process of amending the constitution involves the Executive, the National Assembly and the state Houses of Assembly.  So, on the first day of sitting, I will present the bill".

On the specific areas the bill will cover, the PDP candidate revealed that one of the major issues agitating the minds of Nigerians whenever restructuring was discussed, was the issue of resource control. 

“The bill will cut across all spheres of restructuring, and resource control is accommodated in it,'' he said.

Responding to a question on security, Atiku said more boots were needed on the ground.

According to him, doubling the number of policemen in the country to about 700,000 will help with the challenge of policing, while at the same time reducing unemployment. 

“By the time you also do the same thing in the military, we would have more men and boots on ground and we would also be reducing unemployment in the country.

''The issue of devolution and state police are also issues for amendment and these are things contained in our restructuring package to be sent to the National Assembly.”

'My Covenant With Nigerians’

Atiku also discussed his five-point development agenda which seeks to: “Restore Nigeria’s unity through equity, social justice as well as co-operation and consensus among our heterogenous peoples.

“Establish a strong and effective democratic government that guarantees the safety and security of life and property.

“Build a strong, resilient and prosperous economy that creates jobs and wealth and lifts the poor out of poverty.

“Promote a true federal system, which will provide for a strong Federal Government to guarantee national unity while allowing the federating units to set their own priorities.

“Improve and strengthen the education system to equip its recipients with the education and skills required to be competitive in the new global order which is driven by innovation, science and technology and to lead healthy, productive, meaningful lives”.

Economy

On the economy, the former Vice President said his administration would simply continue what was started by the PDP administration between 1999 and 2007.

“My administration will continue the liberalisation and free market economy, which we started in 1999 to 2007.  We will empower the private sector to do more and we will continue with the privatisation policy.

“The greatest economies in the world are driven by the private sector, so, why should Nigeria be different.

“Construction of ports, railway, highways and infrastructure require a lot of money, which is not available, so, why not give the private sector the necessary incentives and create an enabling environment. We plan to give them concessions and all that are needed to create jobs and prosperity for all.”

Unity

On how to forge unity in the country, Atiku Abubakar embarked on a voyage of recollection, going back to what PDP did at inception in 1999:

“Let me remind you, because most of those who would be voting in this election were born around 1999 and they would not have known what happened at that time. And that is one of the reasons history must be brought back and taught in our schools.

“As far back as 1994 at the National Confab, we agreed that the transition that would usher in a civilian administration would produce only contestants from the South.  That was why it produced two southerners in the 1999 presidential election.  

“When our PDP administration was sworn-in, we brought in members of the opposition to join in forming the government. From the All Peoples Party, APP, and the Alliance for Democracy, AD, we appointed ministers and other top officials of government.  That is one of the ways to forge unity.

“When I’m sworn-in, I will form a government of national unity”.

Speaking on security, he said “the heads of the 17 security agencies in the country are northerners but that is not what I will do.

"Every geo-political zone of the country will have its slot in the appointment of heads of security agencies. That is how to forge unity".

G-5 Govs 

While responding to the crisis rocking the PDP, Atiku said it was a family affair and would soon be resolved.

“Talks are ongoing and I believe we will resolve our family issue soon.  It’s a family affair and we will soon resolve it,'' he said.

On Taxation

Atiku says if elected, he will grant tax holidays to the private sector to enable them to intervene in infrastructure development.

A tax holiday, also known as tax relief or tax subsidy, is a temporary reduction or removal of tax. Governments usually create tax holidays as incentives for business investment.

He said this will create more jobs and encourage more investments in the country.

The PDP candidate also said he will ensure that the necessary constitutional amendments are made so that more powers are transferred to state and local governments.

“Already, I have received a report from a team of constitutional law experts which I assembled to look into our constitution and highlight areas where there are items that can be moved to the concurrent and residual lists of the constitution.

“Let me tell you that I will start work on the implementation of that report from my very first day in office if I am elected president next year.

“The private sector is pivotal to my agenda to rejuvenate the economy and close our infrastructure deficit gaps. If I am elected president, I will work closely with the private sector by giving them incentives to create more jobs, and also grant them tax holidays for them to intervene in our infrastructure development.

“It is obvious to all that the government doesn’t have all the money and the debt burden has continued to weigh us down. Therefore, the government has to be creative, and engaging the private sector is one way of solving our infrastructure problems sustainably.

“If you look at the thriving economy in the world, they allow the private sector to run the economy. If you see the amount of work the government has to do in terms of constructing and decongesting our ports, and railway, and you have to borrow, I will rather concession most of these projects to the private sector and give them tax incentives. This will bring progress, prosperity, and peace.”

While promising to set up a “government of national unity” if elected, Atiku added that he will consider the six geo-political zones when appointing people into his cabinet.

“It is one of the ways to unite this country. Every section or geo-political zone will be carried along in appointments in every sector,” he said.

Culled from Vanguard