Gowon, Obiozor, Joda, Kolade, Others Set Template For New President, Warn Against Crisis

A former Head of State, Gen. Yakubu Gown and 13 other elder statesmen have voiced concern over the rising rhetoric ahead of Nigeria’s General Elections, slated for February 23 by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

The electoral commission had earlier put the election for February 16, but was shifted to a new date, citing logistics challenges in the delivery of electoral materials across the country.

The elders in a statement titled: The Burden of the Elders at the Dawn of 2019 General Elections, noted that “It is heart-rending for elders to stand by and watch as the nation bleeds profusely and pretend that all is as well as it should be. The violent turn of expressions, deepened economic hardships and increasing desperation of the national polity has to be reversed to keep hope alive.”
They expressed worry over the existential threats being faced by the country, stressing that successive administrations have failed to deal with the challenges of nation-building.

“No matter how dim the eyesight of the elders are, our ears can still hear the pitiful cry of our grand and great-grandchildren braving desert treks and other equally hazardous routes to escape the pain that Nigerian life has become. Neither are we ignorant of the sharp surge in drug abuse, prostitution, suicides, and a resurgence of ritual murders in the land.

“When you add the problems of the delta region, nefarious activities of Boko Haram, and the widespread violence arising from the grazing crisis due to pressure of increasing population on land which several administrations have failed to deal with over the years, it becomes clear that our cherished nation is approaching a frontier it has never seen before. This is certainly not business as usual and the trauma of the civil war we survived should be a warning flag across all spheres of leadership.

“As we soak in all the attendant factors including the toxic political culture of the present hour and the predatory tonality of the ongoing election processes magnified by the fact that the country is still reeling from the shock of the postponed elections, it has become imperative that we must speak up as elders.”

They charged the INEC to be fully prepared for the scheduled new dates, while urging all the political actors to accept the results of the polls, or seek remedy through the appropriate legal channels.

“Our first counsel to the nation as it approaches this new frontier is that INEC must be fully prepared to conduct the rescheduled elections seamlessly and efficiently in a manner that its outcome is adjudged by all to be free, fair and credible.

“The political party leaders, the candidates and their followers should conduct themselves with civility, decorum and restraint in both their words and deeds in the period leading up to, during and the aftermath of the elections. INEC can only achieve success if the contending parties regulate their behaviour and conduct in accordance with democratic norms and the law.

“We urge all participants to accept the final results announced by INEC and where parties feel aggrieved; recourse should be made to dispute resolution mechanisms prescribed by the constitution and the Electoral Act,” they stressed.

According to them, “the next President will be immediately confronted with a set of daunting challenges and opportunities. Under our system of constitutional democracy, the Presidency is the vital nerve centre of operations. The occupant of that office will be the central figure who must engage the vivid imagination and mobilize the energies of the citizens behind large, ambitious goals that will have a transformative effect on society.

“Accordingly it is incumbent upon the President to lead the charge in articulating and implementing a long term vision which would make Nigeria a very prosperous and globally competitive economy by the year 2040. Mobilization of the populace is essential and this is best achieved if broad segments of the population are represented in the exercise given that the prosperity and welfare of the Nigerian people must be at the epic centre of the visioning process.

“Furthermore if Nigeria must join the ranks of the world’s leading economies by 2040, it must rely on Development Plans as the primary vehicles for delivering on the lofty goals and aspirations of the National Vision.

“The complexion and character of the President’s Administration must be seen to transcend party, ethnic, regional or religious affiliations. As a father of all, he should take concrete steps to calm frayed nerves, heal the nation’s wounds, and give credence to our founding principles of unity in diversity.

“Given the enormity of the problems confronting the nation, the next President should seize the opportunity of the transition period to lay the foundation for establishing a strong competent Administration by hiring talented men and women who have the depth and breadth of experience, the dedication, drive and energy, and the honesty, and patriotism to serve the country with distinction in all the key offices across the public sector and our national security establishments.”

In what seems like a call on President Muhammadu Buhari, they observed that the nation is in dire need of urgent and compelling need to address national security crisis which is at the risk of spiraling out of control.

“We urge a Presidential Proclamation of a national security emergency which should result in the establishment of a broad-based coalition of highly skilled and experienced stakeholders from all walks of life to ponder deeply on this grave crisis and complement the efforts of government in bringing the problem under firm control.

“We must emphasise the fact that most of our security problems are the direct by-products of our social and economic malaise which have been plaguing us for a long period of time. These issues are all interconnected and interdependent. Therefore, we take the view that the long-term resolution of our national security crisis must be seen through the broader lenses of taking bold and energetic steps to fast track the nation towards rapid economic and social progress.”

Such a social engineering and economic development agenda must reflect the need to rapidly diversify the underlying structure of our economy, focus heavily on the development of small and medium scale enterprises, build a modern world-class infrastructure, implement major job creation initiatives, take concerted steps to eradicate poverty, promote gender equality, and invest heavily in education and health.

The elders avowed that they are “determined to honour the call we started out with as a duty to our fatherland so that the banner we will hand over to future generations would be stainless rather than coloured crimson with the blood of the innocent.

“Our final appeal to all good persons across all generations and divides of tribe, tongue or creed is to calm down and work for the future of our nation as we deploy everything that God has given us as elders towards a nation where no man is oppressed and peace and plenty will be the norm. Let us all march forward knowing that no matter how dark the night may become the breaking of the dawn is a promise of God Almighty that can never fail.”

The statement was signed by; Gen. Yakubu Gowon, Alhaji Ahmed Joda, a retired federal permanent secretary and chairman, transition committee that ushered in Buhari’s administration; Prof. Akin Mabogunje, first geography professor and environmentalist; Dr Christopher Kolade, former Nigeria High Commissioner to the UK; Elder Shyngle Wigwe, and Prof. George Obiozor.

Others include Alhaji Mohammed Hayatu Deen, Prof. Jo Irukwu, SAN, Prof. Anya O. Anya, Alhaji Ahmed Mahmoud Yayale Chief Folake Solanke, SAN, Prof. Frank Okoisor Rev. Ladi Thompson’ and Chief Philip C. Asiodu.