APC Report On True Federalism Can End Ethnic Tensions – Salihou Lukman

Director-General of the Progressive Governors’ Forum PGF, Salihu Moh. Lukman has come out to call for the fast implementation of the report of the Nasir el-Rufai Committee on True Federalism.

He recently revealed this via a long article in Abuja, and Nigerians have been reacting.

According to him, leaders of the ruling All Progressives Congress APC need to overcome their current lethargic attitude towards initiatives for True Federalism or Restructuring because that will not favour the nation at all.

Lukman added that he indeed regrets the present resort to ethnic profiling of criminals in the wake of increasing banditry and kidnapping in most parts of the country.

His words, “Recommended governance reform initiatives contained in the report of the APC Committee on True Federalism present a big window of opportunity for the nation and APC leaders in particular to develop the capacity to manage our volatile politics laden with ethnic and religious influences.”

“To be able to manage our volatile politics, we need to strengthen our governance institutions. Inability to proceed to initiate processes of strengthening governance institutions in the country as contained in the recommendations of APC Committee on True Federalism will continue to subject our leaders to often unfair accusations of ethnicity based on wrong perceptions. And if care is not taken, no matter the achievements of our leaders, public recognition of the tenure of our leaders may be dictated by perceptive judgments of poor performance based largely on bad management of ethnic relations.”

“Therefore, all APC leaders have a responsibility now to protect the achievements of APC leaders and governments, especially the Federal Government and President Buhari. APC leaders need to overcome the current lethargic attitude against initiatives for true federalism or restructuring”.

“The recommendations contained in the report of the APC True Federalism Committee have potentials to strengthen the capacity of government institutions at all levels to respond to most of our security challenges, for instance.”