The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Governors Forum on Tuesday said Nigeria must embrace restructuring to survive.
Speaking at a two-day event for the PDP National Working Committee (NWC) members-elect in Abuja on Tuesday, Chairman of the forum, Aminu Tambuwal said the President Muhammadu Buhari-led government has failed to live up to the expectation of the masses in the past six years.
This is even as he accused the current administration of failing to take the country to the heights expected by Nigerians, adding that as a result, the PDP must strategise to take over in 2023.
“Nigeria must embrace restructuring to survive. It must restructure its polity, economy, security and ways of doing things. It must embrace relative autonomy and decentralisation of power,” Tambuwal said.
“This will unleash the energies of our people, especially, the young. It is time to allow Nigeria to blossom. It is doable with all hands on deck.
“Where APC thrives in excuses, PDP will take responsibility. Where APC thrives in propaganda and deceit, PDP will be transparent with Nigerians.
“Whereas APC Government thrives in insecurity, PDP will secure Nigeria. Whereas APC presides over Nigeria as the poverty capital of the world, PDP will make Nigeria prosperous. APC has wrecked our economy, but PDP will salvage it.
“Where APC focuses on the selective anti-corruption fight, PDP will fight corruption with appropriate institutional reforms.”
According to Tambuwal, the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) has clearly demonstrated gross incompetence in managing the fortune of the country.
He noted that 35 to 40 percent of Nigerians are unemployed and women and youths bear the main brunt, lamenting over security challenges in the country.
The Sokoto State Governor said bandits, kidnappers, terrorists are having a field day, almost unchallenged with schools not safe for the schoolchildren.
In his remark, PDP National Chairman-elect, Senator Iyorchia Ayu said Nigeria “is in very deep trouble,” and as a result.
The former Senate President explained that the main opposition party has a duty to rescue and rebuild the country.
He said, “In this time of grave challenges for our country, this retreat is to recommit us to the sacrifices we need to make to rescue and rebuild the country. And talking about sacrifices, I acknowledge that, as PDP members, you have been making enormous sacrifices, especially those of you who have held firm to our principles in the last 6 years plus.
“But think about the bigger sacrifices made by our founders who, at great risk, challenged the military leadership and played a critical role in winning back civilian control over our government. Without their sacrifices we would not even have a platform and a voice today, not to talk of gathering here for this stock-taking.
“And talking about stock-taking, this retreat is an opportunity for us to also do that: take stock of where we are as a party, how we got there, what went well and what went wrong, and then collectively think of how we can do better for our party and, more importantly, for our country.”