Section 1: Preamble
Nigeria which was Africa’s hope and pool of human resources, a rising star and role model at independence has suffered and endured outrageous shocks and tribulations over five decades and lost her place on global stage.
Today we are faced with tragic incapacity to feed ourselves, support our institutions, produce electricity, provide health facilities and educate our children. We have lost our capacity to provide security of life and property for our citizenry. We have become weak, fragile, totally import dependent and unable to provide jobs, housing and basic necessities of life for our people.
Democracy, to be stable and meaningful, must be anchored on the principle that government derives its powers from the consent of the governed. This is the ideal of All Progressivess Congress (APC).
This means that governments are instituted on the basis of free, fair and credible elections, and are maintained through responsiveness to public opinion. In addition, the exercise of political authority is rooted in the rule of law. APC believes in the doctrine of social contract between the leaders and the led; which means that the public office holder is a trustee of the people and that power must be used in the interest of the people rather than in the interest of the public office holder. Our mission is to construct and institute a Progressives state anchored on social democracy, where the welfare and security of the citizenry is paramount.
As Progressivess, we believe that Nigeria is greater than any individual or the sum of her Federating Units, therefore the country can only succeed when all of us have equal rights, where no one is above the law, where the culture of impunity is abolished and where there is level playing field.
Those compatriots who have lost faith in our dear country because of insufficient and corrupt leadership; count on us for we represent an Agent of change for committed, transparent and focused leadership.
As a change Agent, APC intend to cleanse our closet to halt the dangerous drift of Nigeria to a failed state; with a conscious plan for post-oil-economy in Nigeria.
To achieve this laudable programme APC government shall restructure the country, devolve power to the units, with the best practices of federalism and eliminate unintended paralysis of the center.
In sum, we subscribe to and shall preserve the fundamental objectives and directive principles of state policy as enshrined in chapter two of the 1999 constitution of the federal republic of Nigeria as amended.
And without any intention to abandon any ideal which will guarantee the corporate welfare and security of our people. We specifically offer these 8 (eight) cardinal programmes:- (WFAI-FDAA) to the Nigeria populace.
- War Against Corruption
- Food Security
- Accelerated Power Supply
- Integrated Transport Network
- Free Education
- Devolution of Power
- Accelerated Economic Growth
- Affordable Health Care
- To chart a new course for a better future
- To be bound in honour in the resolute search for a new brand of politics that is ideas driven and firmly anchored on the enduring principles of truth, honesty, service, justice, love of country and more importantly the pursuit of true democratic values.
- To be committed to the primary purpose of good governance which is the welfare of Nigerians and shall strive to eliminate poverty and create job opportunities for all.
Every generation has a historic responsibility. The generation before ours worked hard for our country to be free. The task before our own generation is for us to build on the achievements of our heroes past, and bequeath an enduring legacy for future generations.
The All Progressivess Congress believes that the course of history has placed on all true patriots the enormous task of building a better Nigeria. This demands that patriotic men and women of the finest disposition must come together in the search for new economic, social and political order that is woven around sustainable development, enduring peace and mutual co-existence.
In the pursuit of these ideas, we shall enlist the buy-ins of all Nigerians for our Party's guiding philosophy, which derives impetus from six principles.
- Belief in, and the fear of God;
- Upholding the rule of law;
- Preserving national unity
- Pursuit of a joint egalitarian society;
- Building of strong institutions;
- Commitment to social justice and economic progress; and
- Promoting representing and functional participatory democracy.
From a net and leading exporter of Agriculture produce in the post-independent years, the nation has now collapsed and
become dependent on imports for its sustenance for wheat, rice, sugar, milk, fruit and juice to mention just a few. The nation now depends on foreign producers. Our Currency is weak, our independence is threatened and our national pride and integrity are compromised, this situation therefore will definitely worsen with the coming uncertainty in the oil and gas market.
APC will embark on a massive and comprehensive re-Organisation and revolutionalisation of the agricultural industry. The objective is to sustain agriculture as the strategic engine and prime-mover of national economic development to feed the nation; to supply the raw material for industrial processing and manufacturing; and to earn stable remunerative prices in the local and international markets. In addition, APC will revamp the River Basin Authorities, which are the best vehicles for Nigeria's agricultural revival and expansion.
In recognition of the important role of agriculture in national development, our party in Government will be guided by the
following:
- The creation of functional agricultural Extension and food inspectorate divisions with a view, not only to making professional services available to farmers, but also improving nutrition and eliminating food-borne hazards.
- Embarking on massive agricultural land preparation in all states to prepare the ground for massive crop production by restoring the NALDA.
- Encourage commercial livestock and fisheries development as well as strengthening forestation and environmental protection schemes.
- A policy to encourage young people to go into agriculture by funding incentives and mechanization techniques. This will replace the ageing current generation of farmers who are too few to meet the nations demands.
- Reclaiming the desert by tree planting programmes and growing alfalfa grass, and other legumes for livestock nutrition.
- Institution of land army scheme across the nation.
- Restarting farm settlements and procuring appropriate machinery for agricultural productivity, locally sourced or imported.
- Strengthening the Bank for Agricultural and Rural Development
- Investing in irrigation facilities for all season agro-enterprise
APC in Government shall muster the political will to wage strident War against Corruption; otherwise our post-oil-economy will be disastrous. It is our considered view that none of our cardinal programs will succeed if the current level of corruption and looting going on in the land is allowed to continue.
- We shall strengthen and make independent the EFCC, ICPC and other Anti-graft agencies and repeal the laws which inhibit their independence.
- We shall embark on public sensitization campaign and civic education against corruption in schools and town halls.
- Shall encourage Civil Society Organisations, Advocacy groups and Whistle-Blowers in the anti-graft vanguard.
- We shall stop the corruption of our electoral process by making the Independent National and State Electoral Commissions (INEC) truly independent.
- We shall establish Special Courts for corruption, after due and thorough review of the penal code.
- To actualize this we shall make the appointment of the chairman and top officials of National and State Electoral Commissions Public as enunciated in the Uwais Electoral Reform Report. On all election matters, the Burden
Railways, waterways and road transportation are key and germane to economic growth and development. This is even more so in a country with an estimated population of 170 million, growing at an annual average of 3% the movement of people, goods and services in Nigeria will continue to be a challenge, which cannot be met efficiently and cost-effectively by road transportation alone. And as long as the Railway system remains undeveloped, so long will road construction remain recurrent expenditure and an unsustainable drain on the economy.
Transport constitutes a very important sector of the Nigerian economy upon which depends:
- Development in other sectors of the economy:
- The socio-economic integration of the country and
- Inter-state commerce and international trade.
- Efficient and reliable urban transportation system across Nigeria
ROAD TRANSPORT
- Undertake a survey of the condition of the Federal highways and State roads, including rural feeder roads as a basis for embarking on appropriate reconstruction, rehabilitation and maintenance works.
- APC in government will Embark on a National Infrastructural Development Programme as a PPP that will ensure the construction of 4,000 kilometers of super highways, including services trucks to be completed by 2003
- Reintroduce toll gates to generate revenue for optimal maintenance roads network.
RAIL TRANSPORT
- Revitalization of the railway system through modernization rehabilitation of tracks, procurement of new rolling stock and improvement of all operational and management techniques.
- Embark on the building of up to 200km of modern standard railway lines annually.
- Complete the medium steel section of Ajaokuta, which can produce two kilometer rail track steel per day, and use our locally made track for the modernization programme.
AIR TRANSPORT
- Improvement and modernization of aviation infrastructure, compatible with international safety standards.
- Continuous encouragement to private airline operators, subject to their meeting the required globally accepted conditions and safety standards.
- Provision of a Standard Hanger in partnership with the private sector for the maintenance of aircraft in the sub-region
MARITIME TRANSPORT AND INLAND WATERWAYS
- Renovation and modernization of the ports to enable them cope with growing traffic
- Encouragement of Nigerian nationals to participate in international shipping and maritime trade.
- Local manufacture and maintenance of vessels for water transportation.
- Greater utilization of inland waterways as alternative mode of moving goods and services in the country.
- Encourage maritime cruises and pleasure boats for recreation and tourism
- Complete the dredging of River Niger.
Power is the center point of the development process. All other indices of development anchor on power and energy. The failure to make power supply efficient has impacted negatively on the economy. It has made the cost of production and business high and has invariably raised the cost of agricultural produce and other finished goods and services thereby thwarting the growth of our economy.
The crisis in the power sector is one of the major causes of the present collapse of the industrial sector and the inability of small scale industries to thrive. To kick-start industrial growth in the country, stable and affordable power supply is an absolute necessity.
The APC Government shall vigorously pursue the expansion of electricity generation and distribution of up to 40,000 megawatts in four to eight years. The party will also work assiduously at making power available from renewable energy sources such as coal, solar, hydro, wind and biomass for domestic and industrial use, wherever these prove viable
- As a matter of pressing priority and urgency, tackle the paralyzing lapses with electric power generation, distribution and supply.
- Resolve all stalemate around the reform of the power sector and develop a transparently agreed power generation and distribution milestones with clear timeliness and targets.
- Liberalize the monopoly of the Federal Government in power generation and supply. We shall devolve much of power and energy to the private sector.
- The gas and thermal stations will particularly be encouraged to increase their supply capacities.
- Alternative power sources, including hydro, solar, coal and wind energy will be explored and developed.
- Regular Turn Around Maintenance (TAM) of existing facilities will be done to ensure steady and uninterrupted utility supply.
- An aggressive and efficient tariff/revenue recovery system will be pursued. All avenues of waste, corruption and abuse will be checked.
- Rural electrification will continue to be encouraged.
- Improve management efficiency of the nation's distribution system, improve commitment to consumer service and sensitize a national energy conservation and maintenance culture on electricity supply.
Available data from the Federal Ministry of Mines and Steel Development reveals that government is getting less than 25 percent revenue from solid minerals. Licensed operators are either short changing government or there are loopholes that need to be plugged to ensure optimal results. Illegal mining activities are a bad for business in the sector as they tend to deprive government of taxe3s and licensed fees.
In a bid a create jobs, alleviate poverty and provide critical infrastructure, APC in Government will invest heavily in the abundant solid mineral resources in all parts of Nigeria. Our preminary survey shows that the exploitation of Bitumen will drastically reduce the cost of road construction in Nigeria. It is noted that the cost of road construction per kilometer in Nigeria is one of the highest in the world. We need to reduce this prohibitive cost of road construction and other ancillary usage of Bitumen. In doing all these, we encourage private sector participation.
APC in government will carryout a thorough review of the education sector and having established the main causes of the sectors terrible decline:
- Fully implemente and enforce the provisions of the Universal Basic Education Act with emphasis on gender equity in primary and secondary school enrolment whilst improving the quality and substance of our schools
- Reinstate the now abandoned Teacher Teaching Colleges to train teachers.
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Target up to 10% of our annual budget for this critical sector whilst making substantial investments in training programmes at all level of the educational system
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Create elaborate incentive schemes to attract the best and the brightest to teach in our schools
- Re-introduce Technical and vocational education nationwide by giving adequate materials support to such institutions. This implies the review of and re-investment in the 6-3-3-4- system.
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Energise the inspectorate divisions of education ministries nationwide.
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Offer free and qualitative primary and secondary education to all but to tertiary level for women.
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Make learning experiences more meaningful for children and make education more cost-effective.
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Develop and promote effective use of innovative teaching Methods/materials in schools;
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Ensure a greater portion of expenditure on university education is devoted to Science and Technology with more spaces allocated to science and technology oriented courses.
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Establish at least six new universities of science and technology with satellite campuses in various states.
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Support education for persons living with disabilities.
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Provide a more conducive environment and active material and moral support for private sector participation in educational enterprises.
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Establish six centers of excellence to address the needs of special Education.
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Re-introduce the teaching of Nigerian History and Civics in all Secondary School
Rationalize Health Care Delivery through conscious efforts to enhance primary Health Care facilities across Nigeria and reduce costs and unnecessary pressure on secondary/tertiary Health Care facilities.
- Prioritize the reduction of infant mortality rate by 2019 to 3%, reduce material mortality by more than 70%, reduce HIV/AIDS infection rate by 50% and other infectious disease by 75%, improve life expectancy by additional 10 years on average through our national healthy living program.
- Increase the number of physicians from 19 per 1000 population to 50 per 1000; increase national health expenditure per person per annum to about N50,000 (from less than N10,000 currently).
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Increase the quality of all Federal Government owned hospitals to world class standard within five years.
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Invest in cutting edge technology such as tele-medicine in all major health centers in the country through active investment and partnership programmes with the private sector.
- Provide free ante-natal care for pregnant women, free health care for babies and children up to school going age and for the aged and free treatment for those afflicted with infectious disease such as tuberculosis and HIV/AIDS.
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Boost the local manufacture of 70 percent of pharmaceuticals and make drugs for HIV/AIDS available.
The process of industrialization is necessary to promote and accelerate economic and social development in the country. Industrialization is crucial to job creation, technology development, wealth creation and poverty alleviation and currency stabilization. A situation which condemns Nigeria to the helpless status of a consumer nation, producing nothing, is not only unacceptable but untenable. Excessive importation means unmitigated transfer of jobs, local impoverishment and denial of employment opportunities at home, and increasing disaffection among unemployed youths.
According to the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN), the nation's industrial capacity is down to the level of 1960's. Over 1000 industries have shut down between 1999 to date, with Kano alone losing 360. Most of our factory buildings have become Churches and companies like Dunlop and Michelin have left.
- In redressing this abysmal situation APC in government will conduct a state by state census of ailing or comatose Industries, document their requirements and plan the institution of an industrial resuscitation fund as has been done for aviation and even banks.
- By the very creation of some new development Banks the much required affordable credits for industrial growth would have been made to most of these industries which died of financial anemia.
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By a policy of import rationalization the products of these industries will find greater accommodation in preference to foreign goods.
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APC wishes to emphasis that the current policy of reckless importation of even the most unnecessary consumer goods can only spell doom for the Nigeria State because, a nation must either produce or perish
APC recognizes that Nigeria faces very grave economic challenges. There is the general challenge of unemployment especially among the youth and now manifest nationwide insecurity. There is also the challenges of industrial decline and a severe deficit in housing and social services.
APC believes that macro-economic re-engineering is about only way to deal with this problem simultaneously. In this regard therefore, APC will take three major sector of the economy and in tackling them resolve the problem of poverty eradication, food shortage and provision of housing by intensive and extensive investment. Within these three sectors are those jobs and opportunities which negligence and poorly digested economic theories, have denied our own citizen for nearly three decades.
SECTION 10.1 JOBS AND THE ECONOMY
APC will
- 1. Maintain a sound macro-economic policy environment, run an efficient government and preserve the independence of the Central Bank;
- 2. Restore and strengthen financial confidence by putting in place more robust monitoring, supervision and regulation of all financial institutions.
- 3. Make our economy one of the fastest growing emerging economies in the world achieving a real GDP growth averaging 10% annually.
- 4. Embark on vocational training, entrepreneurial and skill acquisitions scheme for graduates along with the creation of small Business Loan Guarantee Scheme to create at least 1 million new jobs every year, for the foreseeable future.
- 5. Bring the informal economy into the mainstream economy and prioritize the full implementation of the National Identification Scheme to generate the relevant data.
- 6. Expand domestic demand and consider expansion of public works programmes.
- 7. Amend the Constitution and the Land Use Act to create freehold/leasehold interest in land with matching grants for states to create a nationwide electronics land title register on a state by state basis.
- 8. Create additional middle-class of at least 1 million new home owners in our first year in government and 1 million annually thereafter, by enacting a national mortgage system that will lend at single digit interest rates for purchase of owner occupier houses.
APC recognizes that Nigeria faces very grave economic challenges. There is the general challenge of unemployment especially among the youth and now manifest nationwide insecurity. There is also the challenges of industrial decline and a severe deficit in housing and social services.
APC believes that macro-economic re-engineering is about only way to deal with this problem simultaneously. In this regard therefore, APC will take three major sector of the economy and in tackling them resolve the problem of poverty eradication, food shortage and provision of housing by intensive and extensive investment. Within these three sectors are those jobs and opportunities which negligence and poorly digested economic theories, have denied our own citizen for nearly three decades.
SECTION 10.1 JOBS AND THE ECONOMY
APC will
- 1. Maintain a sound macro-economic policy environment, run an efficient government and preserve the independence of the Central Bank;
- 2. Restore and strengthen financial confidence by putting in place more robust monitoring, supervision and regulation of all financial institutions.
- 3. Make our economy one of the fastest growing emerging economies in the world achieving a real GDP growth averaging 10% annually.
- 4. Embark on vocational training, entrepreneurial and skill acquisitions scheme for graduates along with the creation of small Business Loan Guarantee Scheme to create at least 1 million new jobs every year, for the foreseeable future.
- 5. Bring the informal economy into the mainstream economy and prioritize the full implementation of the National Identification Scheme to generate the relevant data.
- 6. Expand domestic demand and consider expansion of public works programmes.
- 7. Amend the Constitution and the Land Use Act to create freehold/leasehold interest in land with matching grants for states to create a nationwide electronics land title register on a state by state basis.
- 8. Create additional middle-class of at least 1 million new home owners in our first year in government and 1 million annually thereafter, by enacting a national mortgage system that will lend at single digit interest rates for purchase of owner occupier houses.
APC WILL:
- Make the industry and Nigeria one of the world's cutting edge centres for clean oil and gas technologies, scientist, mega structure installation drilling, progressing, production engineers supported with best services and research facilities.
- Fully develop the sector's capacity to absorb more of the nations' new graduate in the labour market. Make the sector produce more home-grown world class engineers and scientists.
- Modernize the NNPC and make it the national energy champion. Consider breaking it up into more efficient, commercially driven unit and strip it of its regulatory powers and enable it tap into international capital market.
- Enforce the government mater plan for oil companies to end flaring that pollutes the air and damages people's health and ensure that they sell at least half of their gas production within Nigeria.
- Speedily pass the much-delayed Petroleum Industry Bill(PIB) and ensure that local content issues are fully addressed;
- Make Nigeria the world's leading exporter of LNG through the creation of strategic partnerships.
- Encourage the emergence of modern modular refineries products and reduce importation
- APC in government will promote optimal domestic Gas utilization for LPG and CNG and also place Nigeria among the world's leading exporters of LNG through the creation of strategic partnership.
- We shall promote a strategy of intensive Oil & Gas exploratory activities in the NIGER-DELTA, ANAMBRA BASIN, BENUE THROUGH, LAKE CHAD BASIN AND THE NIGER AND SOKOTO BASINS.
APC WILL:
APC observes with dismay the danger posed by environmental degradation and the dangers posed by climate change. Efforts will therefore be intensified to protect our environment through:
- Refuse disposal and management
- Desert/encroachment control
- Erosion and afforestation programmes
- Bush burning prohibition
- Industrial pollution as well as oil and gas pollution legislation
- Pollution from house hold generators
- Noise pollution and flooding control
- Dredging of our major rivers. For special achievement of these and other sanitations we shall establish a National Environmental Marshall corps.
One of the greatest needs of man is shelter. It is officially accepted that in Nigeria, the housing deficit is in the neighborhood of 17 million units and with the population growing at about 3.5 percent, immediate steps must be taken to tackle the problem and give Nigerians appropriate affordable housing.
To achieve this goal, APC will see to the emergence of one million housing units per annum both by direct social housing programmes and through support to private sector developers. To enhance this programme, land allocation, infrastructure support and cheaper credit will be pursued.
We believe that this programme will bring into place about 30 million jobs nationwide annually. The implementation will extend beyond residential homesteads to university hostels and barracks for uniformed services.
APC will conceive this programme to bring relief and comfort to individuals and families currently facing severe difficulties in their effort to meet the challenges of ever increasing rents and the pressure of some shylock landlords.
Our Party in Government will be committed to policy objectives to uphold and enforce the Fundamental Human Right as enshrined in Chapter IV of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999. An APC government will give unflinching support to agencies, bodies and Organisations charged with the responsibility of protecting these rights.
As APC in government, we will commit ourselves to abide by the United Nation and African Union Charters on Human Rights and adequately prohibit their violation in any shape or form.
- Provide necessary support to enable the National Human Rights Commission to discharge its functions effectively,
- Ensure the effective functioning of the Code of Conduct Bureau and the Public Complaints Commission.
- Guarantee the independence of the Judiciary
- Equip the Police and other law enforcement agencies to enhance their operational performance in maintaining public peace and internal security.
- Re-orientate and sensitize the citizenry to appreciate the fact that civic and political rights demand self-discipline, responsibility and obligations.
APC affirms that no society can make progress where it is divided almost equally along gender lines with one half strong, dominant politically and economically powerful, while the other half languishes in weakness, alienation disadvantages, discrimination and economic incapacity.
- APC will put place measures that will ensure active participating of women in politics
- Strengthen the institutional capacity of Women Commissions and Agencies at Federal and State levels to enable greater effectiveness in their co-ordination of women development matters in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Women and Social Development.
- Present orientation programmes aimed at securing greater political awareness of women in their effective participation in the decision making process at the levels.
- Take appropriate measures to empower and integrate women into the overall development process, including their participation in agricultural, handicraft, small-scale ventures, health and family life, industry and commerce by building their capacity through training, skill acquisition and child orientation.
- Give special attention and effective support to recognized professional women Organisations and encourage them to reach out to disadvantaged urban women in the informal Sector as well as rural women in the villages and communities. Support Civic Education Targeted at young women and women professionals to get them more actively involved in politics.
- Increase and diversity formal education and training opportunities of women and girls, within the context of overall national planning for manpower needs, to equip them for greater participation in the political and economic opportunities available to them.
- Combat illiteracy among women by providing functional literacy and adult education programmes in local languages, with a view to increasing awareness of their civic responsibilities and various political and economic opportunities available to them.
- Support Women associations that cut across ethic linguistic, religious or other sectional barriers.
- Encourage women Organisation to make extensive use of discussion for a mass media communication tools or educate and enlighten the public on the values and potential of women.
- Encourage relevant Non-Government Organisations (NGOs) whose primary focus is on the development and advancement of women in Nigeria.
- Encourage female political aspirants by making nomination forms free for them, and encourage quotas for women participation
- Make efforts so that women occupy up to 30% in party structures and government.
- Promote the Party Women's wing to have a respected and organized voice in influencing policy and mobilization of citizens.
- Include gender as component of federal character.
- Promote women's interest in agriculture to enhance the role of women farmers and facilitate access to land, finance, technology and market.
- Guarantee the protection of children, particularly of rights of the vulnerable like street children, trafficked children, children with disabilities, children infected and affected by HIV/AIDS, and criminalize child labour.
- Support the Nigerian Women's Charter that details policy expectations and commitment on issues related to the improvement of the lives of Nigerians women.
National development and the welfare of citizens constitute an important part of the democratic process. APC will respect the fundamental rights of Nigerians to freedom of speech and submit to the provisions of the freedom of Information Act.
The Local Government as the third tier of Government is the nearest to the people at the grassroots. The effectiveness of this tier of Government is important for the well-being of a vast majority of the people who live in the rural areas. However, because the Local Government systems lacks autonomy, funds meant for them have often been misapplied, misappropriated and misused.
The All Progressives Congress strongly believes that an efficient, virile, responsive and efficient Local Government system can impact and influence the development of the nation. We shall ensure that the Local Government system of administration is autonomous so that it can perform the constitutional role demanded of it.
The APC will strive to bring about reforms in the Local Government system that will guarantee efficiency, effectiveness and proper accountability. Funds meant for the Local Governments will be used only for Local Governments.
APC Government will commit itself to the continuous well-being of the inhabitants of the Niger Delta area, and take measures to address the long overlooked challenges of environmental devastation and mass poverty among the people whose land lays the golden egg.
- To mitigate the environmental degradation of the Niger – Delta areas, occasioned by oil exploration and gas flaring activities.
- To douse the tension in the Niger-Delta areas because of youth restiveness.
- To restore the confidence of the citizens from Niger-Delta areas in the oneness of the Nigerian nation.
- Development and implementation of a special environmental clean-up program for the Niger-Delta
- Construct navigational bridges across big rivers and swampy lands to link isolated islands in the Niger-Delta areas with the rest of the country.
- Embark on mass-literacy programs for the citizens of the Niger-Delta areas.
- Gas flaring in the course of mineral oil mining activities shall be discontinued.
- Enunciate a policy to compel Oil/Gas companies to embark on Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) schemes with definitive impact on the well-being of the Niger – Delta areas.
- Special focus on the funding and operational efficiency of the Niger-Delta Development Commission (NDDC)
The inability to conduct free, fair, credible and peaceful elections has been the major cause of political violence in the country. When the people are unable to change Government, they know has not performed well, through the ballot box, they become helpless and resort to self-help. This situation, if not properly handled, can lead to violence.
The APC in Government will address the issues of political violence and consider appropriate legislation. No Nigerian should suffer any harm in the process of election a leader.
There are many in society who have permanent physical, sensory, or mental conditions that make it difficult or impossible to make use of a particular part of the body or mind. Some of them require the constant help of others to cope with the challenges of life. Most of the people in this group are unable to obtain permanent jobs to fend for themselves.
Unless measures are taken, by way of Government policy, to change the situation, these brothers and Sisters of ours will continue to bemoan their conditions for not being given a change.
As a nation, we owe it both as a duty and a responsibility to those who live with disability to ensure that they do not suffer unduly as a result of their disability. We in the All Progressives Congress will be resolute in this pursuit and ensure that no Nigerian suffers any form of discrimination as a result of disability. APC will adopt strong measures against any form of discrimination in any facet of national life against such persons.
- It is realized that one may be physically and mentally fit today and can become deaf or blind the next day. If sign language and brail writing had been learnt at school by everyone, no one would find it difficult to communicate with people if such misfortune occurs.
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- Therefore, conditions of disability will be considered when constructing public infrastructure, such as roads, bridges, railways, airports, marine transport facilities, public buildings, transport terminals, etc; and when designing working tools and other equipment, including sporting equipment, to be used by the physically challenged.
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- In the light of the foregoing APC shall promote the creation of the National Commission for persons with disability in Nigeria.
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Our party believes in decongesting the prisons and making them true and proper corrective institutions, with well-equipped and functioning workshops, learning centers and improved living and sanitary conditions. In this regard, APC will look seriously into the issues related to prison congestion, and improve the living conditions in Nigerians Prisons.
We will explore the option of suspended sentence, community service and more frequent periodic pardon.
Prisoners will be engaged and deployed in productive activities across the nation thereby ensuring their rehabilitation and reintegration into the society, upon exit from incarceration.
APC will embark upon electronic record keeping of all persons with prison or any criminal records as is the practice all over the modern world, as a step towards enhancing national security.
APC believes strongly that our foreign policy should seek to protect the integrity of the black man both home and abroad. Accordingly, our party will.
- Ensure that our foreign policy must be pursued in a way to promote our interest.
- Pursue friendly and reciprocal relations on a bilateral and multi-lateral basis across the world.
- Resist all forms of discrimination, domination and aggression against Nigeria.
- Take the lead in accelerating the process of economic integration of ECOWAS member states.
- Emphasize economic diplomacy by establishing special unit in key diplomatic missions to facilitate the acquisition of advanced technology and promote trade and investment.
- Recognize Nigerians in the Diaspora and find concrete means to cultivate them in the design and implementation of government policies and programmes.
- The Diaspora will be provided opportunity to exercise their franchise during general elections in their respective places of domicile.
- The Ministry of Foreign Affairs will be strengthened and repositioned to meet the challenges of the 21st century.
- Provide strong military leadership in security arrangements with ECOWAS, African Union and the UN
- Emphasize economic diplomacy by establishing special units in key diplomatic mission to facilitate the acquisition of advanced technology and promoted trade and investment.
- Our Embassies and High Commission shall protect all Nigerian citizens abroad, and continue to promote the good image of the country. Our Embassies and High Commissions will be better funded.
- Urgently address capacity building of law enforcement agents in terms of quantity and quality as this is critical in safeguarding the sanctity of lives and property.
- Establish a well-trained, adequately funded equipped and goals driven Serious Crime Squad to combat terrorism, kidnapping, armed robbery, militancy ethno-religious and communal clashes nationwide.
- Begin widespread consultations to amend the Constitution to decentralize the police command and
expand local content by including community policing.
- Push for more support in the security and economic stability of the sub-region (ECOWAS) and AU as a whole and maintain a strong, close and frank relationship with the international community.
- Take renewed measures to secure our borders which are currently too porous for effective control of unwarranted movement.
- Establish a National Coast Guard to protect our coastal waters.
APC believes that our politics is broken. Our nation urgently needs fundamental political reform and improvement in governance to make it more transparent and accountable APC will:
- Initiate action to amend our Constitution with a view to devolving powers, duties and responsibilities to states and local governments in order to entrench Federalism and the Federal Spirit;
- Strengthen INEC to reduce/eliminate electoral malpractices;
- Attract the best and brightest into our politics and public service by aggressive recruitment of youths, women and private sector operators, academics and professionals within Nigeria and in the Diaspora through internships, fellowships, executive appointments and special nomination to contest elective offices;
- Prevent abuse of executive, legislative and public offices through greater accountability, transparency and strict enforcement of anti-corruption laws whilst strengthening all anti corruption agencies: .
- Amend the Constitution to remove immunity from prosecution for elected officers in criminals cases;
- Review the penal code for Better and more equitable administration of Justice and strengthen the justice Systemfor efficient administration and dispensation of justice along with the creation of special courts for accelerated hearing of corruption, drug trafficking, terrorism and similar cases of national emergency.
- Ensure full implementation of the Freedom of Information Act so that government held data sets can be requested and used by the media and the public at large, and then published on regular basis;
WE WILL:
- Establish a conflict Resolution Commission to help prevent, mitigate and resolve civil conflicts within the policy.
- Initiate policies to ensure that Nigerians are free to live and work in any part of the country irrespective of ethnic and religious by removing state of origin, afflictive tribe and replace this with state of residence.
- Ensure timely payment of retirement benefits for all pensioned senior citizens and create poverty safety net for all aged citizens above the age of 65.
- The most serious threat to our collective well-being is the crisis of our youth. An estimated 70% of our population of 170 million is under the age of 40years. With 29 Universities, 18 million children in Primary Schools.
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25,000 graduates emerging from various Universities, albeit poorly trained, but graduates all the same, we face a serious challenge because the jobs are not there for these young persons. We see our greatest asset as a nation, not the oil and gas or the solid minerals but this massive human capital currently unutilized, living in pain and penury with no hope in sight and no dream of a bright future soon to come.
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In changing their situation and enhancing their opportunities, we hasten our general growth and development. If we fail we must then await the inevitable chaos and attendant anarchy.
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APC will provide opportunities for our youths to realize, harness, and develop their full potentials and facilitate the emergence of a new generation of citizens committed to the sustenance of good governance and service to the people and the country.
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Establish world class sports academy and training institutes and ensure that Nigeria occupies a pride of place in global sports and athletics.
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Review the Nigerian football league and put incentives in place to make it as competitive as other national leagues.
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Mandate schools and communities to create playgrounds/sports centers with needed equipment to develop skills, and return to the era of interschool sports competitions for the early harvest of talents.
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Assist Nollywood to fully develop into a world class industry that can compete effectively with Hollywood and Bollywood in due course.
- The party shall have a code of conduct which shall be drafted and approved by NWC and ratified by NEC from time to time.
- The party shall hold an annual policy conference at least once a year. The conference shall hold at federal state and local government levels. The aim of the conference will be to review programme implementation in accordance with party's manifesto, review the performance of the party's legislative, review issues concerning women and youths, assess the mood of the electorate and response to party's programmes. Deal with any topical issues in the policy.
The foregoing has clearly spelt out APC's Philosophy of Governance and Action Plan for dealing with the problems of both the policy and society. It is on the basis of this Philosophy of Governance and Action Plan that we accept the challenge to provide the required political leadership for Nigeria, for the ultimate benefit of our people and the greater glory of God.