No Peace Without Equity, Turaki Tells PANDEF Leaders

Turaki and the PANDEF leaders after the interaction

Peoples Democratic Party, PDP presidential aspirant, Tanimu Turaki has warned that there cannot be peace as long as any section of the country was being treated as second class citizens while others were being treated as first class citizens.

He made this clear at an interaction with the leadership of the Pan-Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF), South-South Peoples Assembly, Ohaneze Ndigbo, Afenifere and the Middle Belt Forum on Sunday at the residence of their chairman and an elder statesman, Chief Edwin Kiagbodo Clark in Abuja.

The former Minister of Special Duties and Intergovernmental Affairs, who was restating his commitment to the principle of restructuring from different perspectives such as devolution of power, resource control, true federalism and fiscal federalism said further that there cannot be peace when people are being provoked to the extent that they embark on agitations for self-determination.

He stressed that his government will address the principle of restructuring faithfully, decently and comprehensively to promote justice, equity and fairness.

“I am conscious,” he said, “of the fact that the management of sometimes diametrically opposed interests of diverse groups, will determine one’s success (in office) politically.”

Turaki who is a Senior Advocate of Nigeria queried the current APC federal government for notoriously breaching the principle of Federal Character and wandered why Nigerians had not taken concrete steps to challenge the government, except to express their displeasure in the media.

“I am yet to be guided,” he said, “if anybody had gone to court to challenge the government.”

The aspirant also spoke about his plans to vigorously tackle the country’s security challenges, revitalize the economy, ensure employment generation and promote Affirmative Action of his party in respect of the increase in the number of women appointed into government.

Chief Edwin Clark counseled the 13 presidential aspirants in the PDP to discuss among themselves to prune their number down to a manageable level ahead of the party’s presidential primary.

Turaki had on Saturday met with the FCT PDP delegates, elders and members of the  working committee led by their acting chairman, Alhaji Ibrahim Biko in Abuja to round off his nationwide consultations which took him to the 36 states and the FCT ahead of the party’s presidential primary.

“I am very passionate,” he informed them, “about taking Nigeria to the next level with my vision, education, knowledge, experience, integrity, credibility and dynamism.”

“We need a person that can win election for the PDP and also earn respect for Nigeria in the international community through exemplary performance in office. That person is me,” he stressed.