No fewer than 30 prominent Nigerian activists, academics, and other
professionals have formed a new political movement called the National
Consultative Front, NCF.
Its founders said the new party will have an ideological outlook and
mobilise Nigerians to take power like the African National Congress in
South Africa.
The group’s objectives contained in a communique include mobilising
Nigerians for a popular mass action towards political constitutional
reforms that are citizen-driven and process-led in engendering a new
peoples’ constitution.
Listed as members of the 30-member strong steering committee for the NCF
include former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Ghali Na’abba;
former Deputy Governor of the Central Bank, Dr. Obadiah Mailafia; Olisa
Agbakoba, SAN; Femi Falana SAN; Col. Abubakar Umar (retd.), Dr. Oby
Ezekwesili; Prof Jibo Ibrahim; Yabagi Sanni; Amb, Nkoyo Toyo, Isa Aremu,
Prof Chidi Odinkalu, and Senator Shehu Sani.
Others include Prof Remi Sonaiya, Mallam Tanko Yinusa, Alhaji Shettima
Yerima, Lady Funke Awolowo, Peter Ameh, and Ogbeni Lanre Banjo, among
others.
According to the communique, they would embark on, “Immediate mass
mobilisation of the nooks and crannies of the country for popular mass
action towards political constitution reforms that is citizens-driven
and process-led in engendering a new peoples’ constitution for a new
Nigeria that can work for all.
“The new movement shall also, without delay, mobilise for the economic
wellbeing and prosperity of all Nigerians by demanding and ensuring that
Chapter 2 of the present constitution i.e. fundamental objectives &
directive principles of state policy becomes justiciable once and for
all, while also mounting an articulate and vigorous campaign to
deconstruct and reconstruct obnoxious election laws which have provided
leeway for opportunists in the corridor of power to subvert the will of
the electorate making voting irrelevant in determining who actually
becomes elected in Nigeria.
“We decry in categorical terms, the ongoing mindless massacre and
kidnappings in the North-West, North-East, Southern Kaduna, the Middle
Belt, Southern part of Nigeria and in fact the country at large by armed
bandits and insurgents, who invade our communities, especially at night
to inflict terror and murder on hapless residents and unsuspecting
indigenes.
“We hereby call on those presently in charge of our federal government,
military, and security apparatus to immediately wake up and do
everything to stop the ongoing senseless pogrom against the masses of
our people.”
In addition, NCF said it would work towards correcting the ills in
Nigeria’s leadership.