APC UK demands participatory role in Governance

To strengthen institutions and entrench the values of democracy, the United Kingdom (UK) chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has enjoined the leadership of the party to ensure that it delivers on its manifesto and strive to stimulate sustainable development.

They requested that the party’s chapters in the Diaspora be given opportunities to actively participate in the formation of policies and programmes by the President Muhammadu Buhari administration.

This was the submission of discussants at a summit tagged Sustainable Development in Nigeria organised by the APC UK at the British Parliament and facilitated by the chapter’s chairman, Dr. Philip Idaewor.

The summit was attended by the party’s national chairman, John Odigie-Oyegun, members of APC across the UK, the party’s representatives from the Scandinavia and invited British guests.

Richard Fuller, who is a member of the British Parliament for Bedford and Kempton, and the Vice Chair, All Parties Parliamentary Group (APPG) – Nigeria, chaired the summit.

In his opening remark, Fuller said he was happy to host the event particularly because of his role in the APPG-Nigeria, especially as the UK was a democratic and economic development partner of Nigeria.

According to him, “The experiences, vibrancy and contributions of Nigerians in the UK make it relevant that such event should take place in the UK, which suggestions when channelled home would contribute immensely to the country’s development.”

Oyegun, who spoke on developing sustainable infrastructure from APC’s manifesto perspective, reaffirmed the party’s commitment to invest in critical infrastructure such as energy, rail and roads, to drive the country’s development.

Noting that the commitment to development was demonstrated in the party’s first budget, he said that insidious corruption and the near collapse of the oil price have severely restricted them from immediately delivering on electoral promises, including fixing quick wins like evacuating generated electricity to the national grid.

He said, “The party under President Buhari remains resolute in tackling Nigeria’s infrastructural deficits and other economic problems. The British government should continue to support the President Buhari’s administration in fighting corruption, the main cause of infrastructural deficit in the country.

A former senior parliamentary aid, who studies and campaigns against corruption, Mr. Martin Brown, spoke on the relationship between financial corruption and infrastructural development.

He listed success of the Buhari’s administration to include the changes at the security forces, the recovering of some stolen monies and a firm commitment to redistribute wealth through infrastructural development.

Mr Nicholas Okoro, who spoke on Infrastructural development, the Diaspora participation, suggested that the Nigerian diaspora develop a vehicle for investing in the critical sectors of the economy to create wealth through the Diaspora Funding Corporation.

Speaking on Women and Youth in Development, Oladipo Juliana advised the Nigerian government to harness the economic potential of women and youth to ensure that all sections of the society become economically active and consequently increase and activate its potential.