We Won't Participate In National Conference..APC

The All Progressives Congress has said it will not  participate in the planned  national dialogue announced by President Goodluck Jonathan on October 1.

 It hinged its decision on the fact that the “dialogue was nothing but a mere constitutional amendment process’’ which  is  already  being carried out  by  the National Assembly.

This  decision   was taken at the party’s National Executive Committee meeting in Abuja on Tuesday.

It coincided with the  Progressive Governors’ Forum’s threat to use all constitutional means, including legal action, to compel the Federal Government to pay all  shortfalls in allocations to the 36 states of the federation.

Some of the governors elected on the platform of the party were also at the meeting, which was also attended by a former governor of Lagos State, Aswiaju Bola Tinubu.

 Briefing journalists after the meeting, the Interim National Publicity Secretary of the party, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, described the planned conference as diversionary.

 Besides, he said the Federal Government lacked credibility to organise such a conference.

 Mohammed said, “What we see today is that  this government has lost focus; it has lost credibility, it has lost control of the economy.

Insecurity and  corruption have attained an uncontrollable proportion and at this point in time, this government lacks the credibility to organise a  meaningful national conference.

 “In any event, we see this thing as nothing but a diversion and what are we talking about a national conference for when even the President(Dr. Goodluck Jonathan) himself has said  the outcome of  the conference would be subjected to the approval of the National Assembly?

 “So, what we really have to do is a constitutional amendment, not a national conference and we shall not be a party to that.”

 Asked to be categorical whether the party was going to boycott the conference, Mohammed said, “There is no issue of boycotting. I have put it  clear to you: this is diversionary.

 “If it is a clear or  meaningful national dialogue, we will participate, but this isn’t. The President himself has said whatever is discussed will be subjected to National Assembly. So, what you are having is a constitutional amendment.”

 Tinubu, who had spoken against the conference when he returned from a medical  trip abroad recently, did not speak with journalists after the meeting.

 He simply  walked away when Mohammed was speaking with journalists.

Also on Tuesday, the PGF rose from a short meeting in Abuja with a threat to employ all constitutional means, including going to court,  if the Federal Government   failed to pay up all outstanding allocations to the states.

One  of the governors  said,   “When we mentioned constitutional means, it also means going to court if need be.”

Members of the forum  had at the meeting   discussed several issues, including  the dwindling federal allocation to the  states.

The meeting was attended by  Governors  Kayode  Fayemi (Ekiti); Rauf Aregbesola (Osun); Abiola  Ajimobi (Oyo); Ibrahim Geidam (Yobe); and Rochas Okorocha(Imo). The governor of Borno State Kashim Shettima was represented by his deputy, Zannah Mustapha and The governors of   Lagos, Edo, Zamfara, Ogun and Nasarawa states, did not send representatives.

 The  Governor of Edo State, Mr. Adams Oshiomhole,  was said to be attending an  event in Lagos where  his  Lagos State counterpart, Babatunde Fashola (SAN), was also said to be present.

 The other governors were said to have travelled out of  the country.

The meeting, which was held at the Ekiti State Governor’s Lodge located at Asokoro, Abuja was brief.