Femi Folaranmi, Yenagoa
Former President Goodluck Jonathan, Bayelsa State Governor, Seriake Dickson and Ijaw leaders yesterday called on President Muhammadu Buhari and the leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to be sincere with the implementation of the recommendations of the party’s committee, led by Governor Nasir El Rufai of Kaduna State.
The former president and others made the call when Dickson led a delegation of Ijaw leaders to Jonathan to deliberate on the APC committee on restructuring.
Jonathan and the group said a holistic and sincere implementation of the recommendations of the report on restructuring would encourage inter-ethnic harmony and development in the country.
A statement by the Special Adviser to Dickson on Media Relations, Mr. Fidelis Soriwei, on Thursday quoted Jonathan as saying that the issues which fall under the purview of the committee were exhaustively treated during the 2014 national conference whose sincere implementation would definitely move the nation forward.
He said it was a good idea that the the APC also set up a committee to look into the same grey areas which featured prominently in the deliberations of the 2014 conference.
Jonathan commended Dickson for playing the leadership role of coordinating the thoughts of the Ijaw people on the sensitive issue of restructuring.
He said the governor must be appreciated for ensuring that the Ijaw nation did not speak with discordant tones on the issue of restructuring.
He stressed that he was pleased that Dickson was performing the leadership role in accordance with expectations by coordinating the Ijaw nation on the topical issue.
“I am pleased with the calibre of people who came with the governor to brief me on the issue of the recommendations of the APC committee on restructuring. I must say that I am happy with the role being played by the governor on this issue of restructuring. Ethnic nationalities must not speak with discordant tones on such pertinent issues. I am pleased that Dickson is coordinating the Ijaw Nation,” he said.
On his part, Dickson said he led the delegation of the Ijaw leaders to the former president to a consultative meeting and to brief him on the steps the Ijaws had taken to build bridges of understanding in the pursuits of what is right in the country.
He explained the meeting focused on the issue of restructuring and the moves being made to bring about a just, fair and egalitarian Nigerian society.
Dickson noted that the recommendations contained in the report of the APC committee were the same as those contained in the 2014 national conference.