Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, a former vice president and PDP presidential candidate, announced on Wednesday that a draft amendment bill for the restructuring of Nigeria is complete and will be introduced to the National Assembly on the first day of the 10th Assembly’s session, next year, as an executive bill.
Alhaji Abubakar also said whereas he would not release the document now, Nigerians should rest assured that issues of resource control, which continues to be a major talking-point in the restructuring sphere, as well as devolution and state police, are on the cards.
Speaking to members of the Nigeria Guild of Editors, NGE, Wednesday, at the Marriott Hotel, Lagos, the PDP presidential candidate explained that both the amendment bill and his five point agenda which he tagged ‘My Covenant With Nigerians’, is a product of wide consultation and expert advice.
He said he assembled a team of experts with whom he had a series of sessions to brainstorm on pathways for Nigeria’s return to greatness.
In his words”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 a 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.”
According to the PDP candidate, when restructuring is discussed in Nigeria, one of the main concerns that Nigerians have is resource control. He went on to describe the various topics the bill will cover.
“The bill will cut across all spheres of restructuring, and resource control is accommodated in it.”
In response to a query regarding security, Abubakar said more boots were needed on the ground.
According to him, doubling the number of policemen in the country to about 700,000 would 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.”
