NADECO Congratulates Tinubu, Urges Him To Revisit El-Rufai’s Recommendations On Restructuring

DRAFT OF A TEXT OF PRESS CONFERENCE BY NADECO NADECO CONGRATULATES PRESIDENT BOLA TINUBU, GCFR ON HIS CONFIRMATION AS PRESIDENT OF NIGERIA BY THE SUPREME COURT AND CALLS ON HIM TO ACT ON APC MANIFESTO AND EL-RUFAI PANEL RECOMMENDATIONS

1. The National Democratic Coalition, NADECO wishes to congratulate President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on his judicial victory confirmation by the Supreme Court of Nigeria in its October 26 2023 verdict on the election petition s filed by political opponents against his declared victory by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC after the February 2023 Presidential Election.

2. NADECO wishes to restate that even though our preference was for the Nigerian State to first organize the necessary and desirable return to Federal Constitutional Governance upon which Nigeria secured her independence, we are gratified that the partisan politicians have locked horns, campaigned, contested, won and lost election and have exhausted all the legal remedies available for whatever redress they deemed fit in the circumstances of the elections.

3. NADECO further wishes to state that NOW is the time to deliver the much expected services in the socio-economic and political sphere through well thought out and rightly directed policies desirable to quickly alleviate the unacceptable level of suffering, poverty, economic misery and neglect to which Nigerians have been subjected by immediate past rulers and leaders, for many years now.

4. NADECO again restates for emphasis that while we strongly desire an immediate upliftment in the standard and quality of living of Nigerians, we expect much more than the necessary bread and butter economic gains.

5a. NADECO believes that the President Bola Tinubu Government must equally prioritize the process of implementing the APC manifesto particularly in Article 7, pages 3, 7, 29, 37:

b. Under the aims and objectives of its article 7, the APC Constitution commits the party to firstly, promote and foster the unity, political stability and national consciousness of the people of Nigeria, and secondly, to promote true federalism in the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

c. In the foreword to its vision for a New Nigeria (page 3, second paragraph), the APC Manifesto commits the party to ‘implement efficient public financial management strategies and ensure true federalism” as well as “restructure governance in a way that kick starts our political economy so that we can begin to walk the path of our better future”. Also, in its manifesto (page 7), APC entered into an “Honest Contract” with Nigeria to create a federalism with “more equitable distribution of national revenue to the states and local governments because this is where grassroots democracy and economic development must be established.”

d. In its Commitment to Restore Good Government (page 29, last paragraph), the APC Manifesto again stresses reliance on enhancing federalism through a two-pronged approach that consists of i) devolving control of policing and local prisons to the states and giving the right to nominate State Police Commissioners to Governors; and ii) Expanding the role of the Council of States to act as a consultation and negotiating forum between the Federal and State governments to agree on joint economic and social initiatives.

e. Finally, under its promised Reforms and “a Government You Can Trust” (page 37, last paragraph), the APC Manifesto pledges to “devolve more revenue and powers to the States and Local Governments so that decision making is closer to the people” and pledge to “bring the government closer to the people through political decentralization including local policing”.

f. The El-Rufai Committee’s Report recommended for a start the following among others that the APC Government should take immediate steps to return Nigeria to Federal Constitutional Governance upon which the country secured her independence; Devolution of powers to State ▪ Resource control ▪ Making Local Government Affairs an affair of the states ▪ Constitutional amendments to allow merger of States ▪ State Police ▪ State Court of Appeal ▪ Independent Candidacy

g. The above were the promises upon which people voted for APC in 2015.

TIME IS OF ESSENCE because the necessity for a return to FEDERALISM is a critical existential matter that has overall bearing as to the continued co- mutual existence of the country.

6. NADECO also wishes to restate again that, the so called “NADECO USA” is a FRAUD, and a DECEPTION being promoted by elements that were not in any of our structure while NADECO operated globally. We have denounced this farcical group, reminding them that NADECO at its November 1999 properly convened meeting in Virginia, USA, presided over by its National Leader, Chief Anthony Enahoro, the organization announced that it was winding down its overseas operations. There had been no reversal of that decision.

7. NADECO recognizes the fundamental rights of Nigerians to hold personal opinion and to express them in persons or in groups. What is deeply objectionable is for elements who were not part of NADECO while it was losing its sweat, its blood, liberty, possession, and even martyred to suddenly start appropriating the good name and reputation earned through a lot of pain and sacrifice by NADECO for their transient pursuit of partisan objectives.

8. President Bola Tinubu as a Critical Stakeholder in the highest structure of NADECO, who expended his resources and network together with others while we were in the trenches should prove beyond reasonable doubts that he remains faithful and committed towards restoring Nigeria to the NEGOTIATED FEDERAL CONSTITUTION. No one needs to remind Mr. President that the current warped, skewed, and lopsided national structure must be reconfigured in order to give hope and sense of belonging to all Nigerians that they are equal joint stakeholder in the Nigerian Project.

9. NADECO wishes President Bola Tinubu divine guidance, robust health, necessary tact and discipline to deliver exemplary services to Nigerians during his tour of duty.

THIS GOLDEN OPPORTUNITY MUST NOT BE LOST, AS THE BLACK RACE HAS WAITED FOR TOO LONG FOR NIGERIA AS THE MOST POPULOUS BLACK NATION TO PROVIDE LEADERSHIP FOR THE BLACK WORLD IN THE COMMITY OF NATIONS.

AYO OPADOKUN, ESQ