Why El-Rufai’s report on true federalism was not implemented – APC vice chair

The national vice chairman (North West) of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Salihu Mohammed Lukman, has attributed the failure to implement the Nasir el-Rufai committee’s report on true federalism to the existence of weak structures of the party.

In a statement titled, Rebuilding the APC to Reform Nigerian Politics: Task Before President Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Lukman said the failure to implement the report had affected the party negatively.

Recall that the APC had set up a 23-man committee on true federalism, headed by the immediate past governor of Kaduna State, Mallam Nasir el-Rufai, which submitted its report on January 14, 2018.

The committee recommended, among other things, that power be devolved to states on issues, such as policing and resource control, among others. But the report was not implemented by the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari.

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The APC national vice chairman said, “During the time of Chief Oyegun, Progressive Governors were meeting with the National Working Committee (NWC) on a monthly basis. Through those meetings, critical issues and challenges facing the APC as a ruling party were addressed.

“For instance, the proposal to set up the APC True Federalism Committee led by Malam Nasir el-Rufai in 2017 came from those consultative meetings between Progressive Governors and the NWC, which was adopted by the APC National Executive Council (NEC).

“Perhaps, it must also be stressed that the inability of the APC to implement the recommendations of the APC True Federalism Committee can be attributed to the weak structures of the party.

“Returning the APC to its founding vision is immediate and urgent. To get that started, the NWC should convene a meeting of the NEC within the shortest possible time.”