APC Governors Move to Implement Manifesto
Party sets up 10-man caretaker committee for Adamawa chapter
Governors elected on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC) have unveiled an initiative that will assist states under its control to actualise most of the promises made by the party during the 2015 campaigns.
The governors said the move to deliver on manifestos had become necessary based on the conviction that the party’s electoral value would depend on how well it keeps faith with the commitments made to Nigerian both at the federal and state levels.
The governors operating under the aegis of the Progressive Governors’ Forum (PGF), unveiled the plan at a donor’s coordination meeting held in Abuja with some selected development partners.
As part of measures contained in the strategic action plan, the PGF recommended that a special technical team be set up in each state headed the Senior Specialto the governors to monitor and track the implementation of those promises.
It enjoined the governors to strive to address the challenges of skills mismatch and try to fill the gap created by inadequate strong artisan labour in the construction sector.
Some of the core premises includes; creation of three million jobs per year, health care for all, urban renewal and housing, tackling poverty, keeping Nigeria safe and sports and culture, among others.
In a position paper issued by the secretariat of the PGF, the state governors were tasked to do more to affect the lives of their people being that they are closer to them.
Governor Simon Lalong of Plateau State urged the development partners to be mindful of the fact that: “The state of the economy of the country is also a reflection of the sum total of the economies of the states.
“We know that we must do more to pact meaningfully on our people and doing more could not b more tasking at a time of declining economics growth.but we also believe that you, our development partners have a rich intellectual and resource base that can enable us weather the prevailing turbulent economic storm.
“We recognise that the PGF is a partisan organisation, we are by no means asking you to project such partisan alignments beyond your regular programmes and support initiatives towards the overall benefit of Nigerians,” he said.
Part of the engagement with the development partners would be to attract financial and technical assistance needed by the state governments to fast-track the execution of projects and programmes that would impact positively on the lives of the people.
In another development the party leadership yesterday in Abuja inaugurated a caretaker committee to run party affairs in Adamawa state.
The 10-man committee headed by Alhaji Ibrahim Bilal was approved at a meeting of the party’s National Working Committee (NWC) held at the national secretariat in Abuja yesterday. APC had recently witnessed an internal crisis at the Adamawa chapter following the death of the acting chairman, Yamusa Shuaibi.
The late Shuaibi had filled the vacuum left by the former state chairperson, Senator Binta Garba, who was leader of the party but left when she became a senator at the federal level.
While inaugurating the committee, the APC National Secretary, Alhaji Mai Mala Buni, enjoined members of caretaker committee to that they work with harmony to consolidate on the gains so far recorded by the party in the state.
‘’As a political party and in line with our constitution there should be no vacuum and we have capable hands that can lead the state. In line with the relevant article of our constitution. We hereby inaugurate you as members of the NWC of our state chapter in Adamawa State,’’ he said.
In his acceptance speech the acting state Chairman, Alhaji Ibrahim Bilal, said: ‘’We are happy with the situation, we will not bring shame upon APC in Adamawa.
‘’APC has bestowed trust in us and we will not fail. APC has done well for us in Adamawa. The Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) is from the state, we have two governors, so what else do we want. We will remain united and focused and by God’s grace we will not fail you.’’
The 10-man caretaker committee members also included Samaila Tadawus, Vincent Musa, Saidu Maira, Muhammad Audu, Monday Audu, Ibrahim Abubakar, Gambo Bakare, Hauwa Koma and Abubakar Dan-azumi.