Eminent Leaders to Speak on Nigeria’s Political Future

• NIM mobilises new politicians for 2019

By Tobi Soniyi in Abuja

As part of efforts to prepare a crop of new breed  politicians for the 2019 general election, the Nigeria Intervention Movement, (NIM), yesterday said it would hold a grand political summit in Abuja on Wednesday.

A statement by the spokesperson for the summit, Mallam Naseer Kura, said eminent leaders from across the six geo-political zones had already indicated their readiness to address the country at the summit.

He gave the names of those who have already given their consent to address the summit as eminent lawyer, Prof. Ben Nwabueze (SAN); Nobel laureate, Prof. Wole Soyinka, Air Commodore Dan Suleiman (rtd), Colonel Abubarkar Umar Dangiwa, Mr. Donald Duke, Dr. Oby Ezekwesili, President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC),  Ayuba Wabba; Senator Shehu Sanni and Dr Olu Agunloye.

Kura said the organisers were still expecting responses from other leaders of thought like Mallam Adamu Ciroma, General Theophilus Danjuma (rtd), Dr. Paul Unongo, Chief Edwin Clark and a host of others.

The summit spokesperson said the meeting was designed to bring together both old and new generation of political leaders in Nigeria, for the first time, towards finding an appropriate political road map for Nigeria’s troubled democracy, while facilitating a grand political coalition of fresh breed political leaders ahead of the 2019 elections.

The statement read: “For the avoidance of doubt, these elders and leaders, given their experiences in the political affairs of the country as well as their past roles in the life of the country, at one point or the other, have been invited to address Nigeria’s past, in order to provide a veritable political compass for emerging fresh breed leaders in navigating the future for the country.”

The organiser said the summit promised to be a very fertile ground to breed national understanding and reconciliation.

Kura said the summit was also conceived as a serious intervention to reset the future of Nigeria’s constitutional democracy which he said was skewed against the majority of Nigerians.

“Many young emerging political leaders will be provided the rare opportunity to interact and share their aspirations with the invited political veterans at the national confab,” he added.

According to him, some of the burning issues rocking the political fabric of the country that would be discussed at the summit include: inclusive democratic review of the constitution; referendum, equitable political structure for Nigeria; popular democratic system of government suitable for the country; sovereignty of the Nigerian peoples’ people’s right to self determination; 2019 general election and the options for masses among others.

The statement said the summit would be co-chaired by Mr. Olisa Agbakoba (SAN) and Dr Abduljalil Tafawa Balewa.

The organisers of the summit would on Thursday hold an interactive session with journalists.

Aspiring leaders invited to the summit include political aspirants like Mr. Fela Durotoye, Mr. Kingsley Moghalu, Dr Chris Nwaokobia, Mallam Adamu Dauda, Mr. Jaye Gaskia, Mr. Omoyele Sowore, Ms Toyosi Akerele, Mr. Abayomi Mighty, among other 35 young leaders  who are also aspiring to lead the country in various capacities.