Presidential Candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party in the forthcoming elections, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, has said that the signing of the National Peace Accord is a patriotic duty that all politician and Nigerians alike, owe the country.
After signing the peace accord today, the former Vice President noted that this duty is one he is personally committed to.
โI also believe, personally, that our roles as democrats should be established on fidelity to fair and credible elections.
โWe as a nation must be united in this belief,โ the PDP flagbearer stated on his official Facebook Page.
He further urged the public and members of the PDP to conduct the campaigns peacefully and adhere to all extant laws on hate speech, despite any and every provocation.
Earlier, the PDP chieftain promised to restructure Nigeria and devolve power for the benefit of federating units.
โThere is over-concentration in the Federal Government with multiple duplications of agencies leading to the creation of parallel bureaucracies,โ Atiku said in a broadcast late Wednesday.
โThe federating units shall benefit from the devolution of powers to increase their productive capacity for synergy and collaboration with each other.โ
Atikuโs comment is the latest in the calls for Nigeria to be restructured along the lines of fiscal federalism and devolution of certain responsibilities in the exclusive legislative list solely controlled by the Federal Government.
Policing has so far topped the list of things proponents of restructuring want federating units to have control over, especially as Nigeria faces escalating security challenges nationwide.
And the former vice president said if elected next February, his administration will restructure the country.
โNigerian people are excellent supporters and team players in a leadership environment that is open, friendly, and merit-based. We have the will and determination not only to promote the pursuit of happiness but also the actual attainment of happiness and the good life in an egalitarian society.
โThese hallmarks of our civilization require that we restructure Nigeria in every facet of endeavour, open up the democratic space and mobilise our collective energy towards full-scale economic production,โ Atiku stated.
