- Vow to facilitate restructuring
Shola Oyeyipo
Concerned about the parlous state of affairs in Nigeria, a coalition of notable leaders of the South-west, South-east, South-south and Middle Belt regions wednesday debuted with Mass Alliance for Inclusive Nigeria Front (MF), a political coalition, with which they plan to wrest power from those in authority in 2019.
In a letter titled: ‘Nigeria at Crossroads: Main Front to the Rescue’, written to solicit for the support of Nigerians, which was signed by the quartet of PANDEF leader, Chief Edwin Clark; Afenifere leader, Chief Ayo Adebanjo; President General, Ohanaeze Indigbo, Chief John Nwodo; President, Middle Belt Forum, Dr. Bala Takaya, the coalition expressed worries that Nigerians are “stranded at the juncture of dilemma,†and vowed to reverse the situation.
Though an insider hinted that the coalition was not the same as the Coalition for Nigeria Movement proposed by former President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, MF’s main agenda is basically to reorder Nigeria politically and socially by taking over power from the current crops of leaders at all levels.
Arguing that under the present social order in Nigeria, the quest for peace and socio-political progress will remain elusive, irrespective of the sincerity of whoever is at the helm of affairs, MF leaders vowed to entrench the much talked about restructuring with the support of Nigerians.
According to the leaders, “MF pledge to effect the restricting of the Nigerian state to a federal system of government, where each and every federating unit shall hold equal and coordinate powers with central authority, and where no federating unit is subjected to an inferior position in the country.â€
The coalition said further that: “Our major assignment is to salvage the ship of the Nigerian state tottering in a scarily rudderless manner in the roaring waters of insecurity, economic decline and permanent political tension, and the restoration of the stolen Nigeria ‘Article of Faith’ among Nigerians.
“The point being made, in no unmistaken terms, is that the dismantled federal architecture must be reconstructed, where each state in Nigeria will be self-accounting with respect to its nature-endowed natural resources, of which no federating unit in Nigeria is denied of God’s numerous gifts to His creatures, and self-securing of lives and property within its constitutionally-defined geopolitical space.
“This is the irreducible minimum item of a social contract that our long-suffering people demand of any group and association that seeks to take control of our country’s political destiny, henceforth. This precisely is what we, the Mass Alliance for Inclusive Nigeria, need.â€
Coming four days after a South-South mega rally with the theme: ‘Restructuring the Nigerian Federation’, where former President of Nigeria, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan; Bayelsa State Governor, Seriake Dickson; former Director-General, State Security Service (SSS), Chief Albert Horsfall; Prof. Godini Darah and other notable leaders from across Nigeria, insisted on restructuring before the 2019 elections, the new political movement urged Nigerians to join them to put the country on a path of development.
“We hereby invite fellow Nigerians, desirous of equity, fairness and justice in the affairs of our dear country, to join us in the task of saving the sinking ship of our state. Our desire and commitment is that our dear country, which it has pleased God to bless with abundant natural and human resources, as to guarantee her citizens ‘good life for all, and life more abundant,’ may resume her delayed journey towards the fulfillment of its manifest destiny. We declare, without any equivocation at all that Nigeria shall be great again, and in our life time.
“We specifically call on our youths, in whom the destiny of this country lies, and our womenfolk on whose shoulders God has bestowed our homes, as rightful custodians of family legacies, to assume ownership and join in the task of taking back our country. We are one with any and every organisation that is committed to these noble ideals directed at saving a country that is evidently currently enveloped in crisis,†the coalition said.
