Pressure group advocates balance, equity for democratic governance
By Aderogba George
A pressure group under the auspices of “One Nigeria Forum” has advocated balance, equity and true democracy in Nigeria’s governing system to build a greater country.
The group made the call in Abuja at the official unveiling of “One Nigeria Forum” and the first National Abuja 2023 delegates conference.
Addressing the delegates, the Chairman of the group, Chief Sunnie Chukumele, stated that the country had suffered many challenges as deliberate attempt by those who were against its unity.
He said that the country had suffered delibrate consequences of policy summersault, leading to what the legendary Bob Marley in his song described as “One step forward, nine steps backward”.
According to him, no nation has advanced with poor governance and leadership attitude.
“Nigeria today is so terribly divided. This division among tribal, ethnic and religious lines cannot help our transmutation into a nation. This is the kind of country inherited by President Bola Tinubu.
“We anticipated that the president should do all those things he stood for and agitated for long before assuming the saddle of presidential leadership in Nigeria.
” These are in areas such as true federalism, devolution of power, judicial autonomy, local government autonomy, abrogation of state electoral commissions, finding a constitutional role for traditional rulers.
”Going forward, we want to see and be in a country of the State Electoral Commission, with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) conducting every election into political offices in Nigeria,” he said.
Chukumele disclosed that ” One Nigeria Forum” was a group of compatriots and comrades who came across each other on the political turf during the build-up to the last presidential race.
He said that the individuals who constituted the group, had risen from diverse backgrounds, having built a bond and faith in the future of the country, based on their individual collective convictions for a better Nigeria.
The chairman said that the like minds, having considered some interesting and positive variables, agreed to foster and bolster their belief in the country and its future.
He said that upon this belief, they agreed among themselves to form the socio political forum/association and pressure group to contribute their quota to the advancement and deepening of the ideals of good governance.
Chairman of the event, Alhaji Majeed Dahiru, noted that Nigeria had not attained the purpose of its vision due to lack of unity among the different tribes in the country.
According to Dahiru, there is no country in the world that has attained capital development without national unity of the people therein.
He said that the ultimate task ahead of those in power should revolve on how to build the country.
Dahiru called for consensus of Nigerians to change the elite conspiracy, stressing that there was need to build a united Nigeria from bottom to the top.
Dr Austine Maho, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Daybreak Nigeria, stated that Nigeria democracy was in recession, and that there was need to change the narrative.
Maho, who is also a Public Affairs Analyst, said Nigeria needed true democracy, adding that as at now, Nigerians were not enjoying the kind of democracy they bidded and campaigned for.
He said that what the country was practising at the moment was not a true democracy, but a government for the few elites.
“What we see in the last few years is government of the elite, for the elite and by the elite; we are having a situation whereby you find out that we are now having a generational transfer of power.
“This is not the democracy we bid for, we campaign for, democracy should be people centred and that is why it is defined as government of the people, for the people and by the people.
“When democracy is no longer people- centred, then the essence is lost, and I think that a group like this, One Nigeria Forum, should push for the true democracy.” (NAN)
Edited by Idris Abdulrahman
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