MOVES FOR CONSENSUS CANDIDATE IN APC
The former Minister for State, Education and All Progressives Congress, APC, presidential aspirant in the 2023 predidential election, Hon. Chukwuemeka Nwajuba, on Monday said he doesn’t think that the call for restructuring of Nigeria is in order.
The aspirant who is running for the presidency to replace Buhari in 2023 stated that he was running to bring some sort of social order in the polity explaining that Nigeria has not collapsed.
“I think part of why I am running is because I am trying to bring some sense of social order to our polity. Let’s not run away with the belief that our country has collapsed.
“That it is no longer a country of laws or a country of rules, that there is no more moral, there’s no more order. In other words, everything works because this is at the heart of what it is that you see on display. ” He declared.
Nwajuba explained that restructuring is not the issue stressing that the problem with Nigeria is governance issue.
“What is it that I want to restructure? The borders of Nigeria are known and are defined and accepted internationally in the world. Restructuring obviously can’t be talking about landmarks, the issue is governance.
“Is it the question of landmarks or the resources? Since 1999 this Nigerian Constitution is restructured. I ask, is there something a state does with its citizens other than service and tax.
“That is how citizens and state relates. Is there anything you will like to do in Nigeria that the law says you can not do? It’s not. If you want to build a refinery there is a process, you just need to apply.
“Remember we were three regions by 1966 war was fought over this matter. When the military took they said we don’t want the situation, it is better everybody creates states.
“They are no longer ethical. Nigeria had to create states to unbundle the structure as a way to stop a civil war again.
To factor a large extent, they have succeeded so something must be right with the new structure. What do you want to restructure?
“Is there any limitation to what a state governor can do? Nigerian Governors are the most independent Governors in the world. If anybody knows the income that they generate in the states that they transfer to Abuja they should say so.” He queried.
According to Nwajuba, Consensus arrangement is an internal democracy of a workable solution to win an election.
He disclosed that if he wins as Consensus candidate it would be good but if it goes to another aspirant, that’s the decision of the party adding that such aspirant is what the party can afford.
“I already said it is not possible to win an election without the consent of everybody. So why will I say I can only win if I am the most powerful. You can only win by consensus.
“So whatever consensus my party agrees to, if they give me, good Nigeria. If they don’t give me whoever they give, they just decide that this is what we have to offer. That is my understanding of what we’re doing.”
