Tom Chiahemen
Ahead of the 2011 general elections, minority ethnic groups from 21 states across the Federation are coming together to speak with one voice in demanding for their right to lead the nation as equal citizens in the Nigerian project.
Ahead of the 2011 general elections, minority ethnic groups from 21 states across the Federation are coming together to speak with one voice in demanding for their right to lead the nation as equal citizens in the Nigerian project.
To realize their aim of ensuring equal participation in the political leadership of the nation, the minorities, mainly from the South-South, North Central and North-East geo-political zones, have formed the Congress for Equality and Change (CEC), which has all the trappings of a political party.
The CEC, which was formally inaugurated in Abuja on Thursday, has elder statesman, Chief Edwin K. Clark as Chairman of the Board of Trustees (BoT) and a former Senate President, Senator Ameh Ebute as National Chairman.
Other members of the BoT of the CEC are General T. Y. Danjuma (rtd), Admiral Mike Okhai Akhigbe, Dr. Garba Daganda, Chief Solomon Lar, Alabo Tonye Graham-Douglas and Professor Jerry Gana.
National Publicity Secretary of the body, Senator Jonathan Zwingina, however, dismissed suggestions that the CEC would eventually metamorphose into a political party to be used as a possible platform for President Goodluck Jonathan to contest next year's presidential election.
There were insinuations in political quarters that the CEC, which has been registered with the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) as a non-governmental organization (NGO), would eventually transform into an alternative political platform in the event that the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) insists on its zoning arrangement and denies Jonathan its presidential ticket.
This view may have been buoyed by the disclosure by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) that the number of political parties in the country could be increased from the present 57 to 60 before the end of 1010, meaning that about three new parties would be registered.
Zwingina however, told Peoples Daily Weekend yesterday that the CEC would remain a non-partisan NGO for like minds. "We certainly don't intend to transform into a political party. We are banned by the constitution (of the organization) from doing that," he said.
Among the notable personalities at the inauguration of the body, which had the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Senator Bala Mohammed in attendance as chief host, were Chief Clark, Senator Ebute, General Ishaya Bamayi (rtd), General Joshua Dogonyaro (rtd), Chief Don Obot Etiebet, Senator Matthew Mbu Jnr, Major-General Zamani Lekwot (rtd), Ambassador Wilberforce Jutta, Prince Chibudon Nwuche, Hon. Austin Opara, Dr.(Mrs.) Esther Uduehi, Senator Silas Jamfa, Senator Paul Wampana, Chief Seargent Awuse, Senator Fred Brumeh, Prof. Julius Ihombhere, Chief Alfred Diette-Spiff, Chief Medan Teneke (Adamawa PDP Chairman), Senator Zwingina and Chief Sunny Jackson, who represented Akwa Ibom state governor, Godswill Akpabio.
In his welcome address, Ebute said the CEC was to redress political inequalities and marginalization of the peoples in the three geo-political zones of South-South, the North-Central, the North-East and other communities in other zones where political experiences are similar and inseparable in all respects.
He lamented that for 50 years of existence of Nigeria as a nation, "political leadership has been advertently or inadvertently believed or claimed to be the exclusive preserve of a few political blocks to the exclusion of the others whose political activists are deemed or coerced into automatic followers and willing supporters, ad-infinitum."
Ebute said it was in the light of their strong belief in the doctrines of 'change' and 'equality' that human beings are born equal that the nation's minority groups decided, after following and supporting the self-acclaimed heirs to the political leadership of Nigeria for 50 years, "to turn around and assert our inalienable rights to the political leadership of this country as other privileged Nigerians."
While appealing to all Nigerians who believe in the doctrines of Equalitarianism and Change to join the minorities in educating, mobilizing and consolidating the political activities of the people, he said the minorities were convinced that the emergence of Dr. Jonathan as president of Nigeria was "divine recognition and acceptance of the doctrines of Equality and Change.
"Thus, we believe and support the presidency of Dr. Goodluck Jonathan and urge him to embrace the God-given opportunity to run in the 2011 elections for the presidency of Nigeria on PDP platform," the former Senate president declared.
In his remarks at the occasion, Chief Clark, who was one of the proponents of similar effort in the short-lived 2nd Republic, described the inauguration of the CEC as yet another bold effort by patriotic and progressive Nigerians towards building bridges of understanding and cooperation across ethno-religious divide.
The Ijaw nationalist, who described Nigeria as a conglomeration of multi-complex ethnic nationalities, regretted that most of the ethnic nationalities were comparatively disadvantaged in terms of numerical strength. "Yet, these minority ethnic nationalities have contributed as much to the unity, development and growth of our country both in times of peace and turbulence," he said.
"Their collective sacrifices have contributed to building pillars of wealth, prosperity and fame for our great nation. Challenged by the experiences of common and similar sacrifices and contributions to the wellbeing of the country, the coming together of these ethnic groups is essentially to harness the potentials inherent in common identity, common socio-economic experiences and the pursuit thereon of the ideals of social justice and equal opportunities," he added.
He dismissed speculations in some quarters that the CEC was intended to pitch the ethnic minorities against the major tribes. "Even though the initiative came from the ethnic minorities because of their similar circumstances, I am not unaware that progressive Nigerians from major ethnic nationalities who believe in the principles of social justice and equal opportunities for all have already identified and expressed their desire to be affiliates of the Congress," he contended.
According to Chief Clark, any society where opportunities and privileges are lopsidedly distributed offers opportunities for mutual distrust, suspicion, civil unrest and instability. "I therefore urge the people of this greatly endowed country, in any position of responsibility God considers us fit to serve our nation, to bequeath legacies that bear equity, fairness and social justice. Let us treat one another as Nigerians first, not because we are from Hausa/Fulani, Ijaw, Itsekiri, Yoruba, Igbo, Efik, Tiv, Zuru," he said.
He recalled that in 1979, the minority ethnic groups in Nigeria elected the president. "The majorities of Kano voted for PRP, the south-East voted for NPP, the South West voted for UPN and the majorities of Borno and the old Gongola voted for the GNPP but the minorities of Nigeria made Shagari president of this country but when offices were shared, the minorities were not remembered. Offices were shared to the major ethnic groups," he recalled.
Also speaking at the occasion the FCT Minister, Senator Mohammed, expressed support for the call for change in the political leadership of the nation and called on minorities to "take the courage you have demonstrated here to the next level; go to the nooks and crannies of this country and make your case, agitate for your right."
He said, "Many people are talking about zoning and rotation, but here, you are talking about the need for balance of power. Equality based on reciprocity and respect. I am happy because you have defied all dichotomies and challenges to come here. If anybody talks about leadership, this is the time we need equality.
Jonathan is a divine decision - no election, no zoning but he has emerged and is touching lives. We need to give him t opportunity because of his humility. He is the most qualified, capable and suitable person having gone through the political mill as deputy governor, as governor, as vice president, as acting president and now as president. Who else has that record?"
He enjoined the CEC to continue with its agitation, promising that the rest of Nigeria would support them. "In doing that, your agitation should be devoid of regionalism, sectionalism etc. We want him (Jonathan) to take the torch and save us from all those people who think they will continue to recycle power and recycle leadership at our expense," said the FCT Minister.
Highlights of the occasion was the formal adoption of the constitution of the CEC by the 470 delegates that came from the 21 states of Adamawa, Akwa Ibom, Bauchi, Bayelsa, Benue Borno, Cross River, Delta Edo, FCT, Gombe, Kaduna, Kebbi, Kogi, Kwara, Nasarawa, Niger, Plateau, rivers, Taraba and Yobe. The adoption followed a motion moved by Chief Henshaw from Cross River state and seconded by Senator Silas Janfa from Plateau state.
Besides the BoT, the CEC also has a National Working committee (NWC) led by Senator Ebute, with a former Presidential adviser, Dr. (Mrs.) Uduehi as Deputy national chairman. Other members of the NEC include Chief Ayakeme E. Whisky (National Secretary), Senator Zwingina (National Publicity Secretary), Senator Silas Janfa (Financial Secretary), Dr. Bitrus Pogu (National Auditor I), General S. E. Oviawe (National Auditor II), Prince Chibudom Nwuche (Ex-Officio), Dr. Christy Silas (Ex-Officio) and Dr. Abdulmumuni Vaki (Ex-Officio).
The rest are Dr. Bolere Ketabu (National Organising Secretary), Air Commodore Idongesit Nkanga (National Treasurer), David Umaru (Legal Adviser, Senator Paul wampana (Ex-Officio), Dr. Monday Okonny (Ex-Officio and Hon. Denyanbofa (Ex-Officio).
Reminded about the outlook of the CEC, Senator Zwingina insisted on Friday that the body would not turn into a political party as, according to him, there were PDP members, former soldiers and civil servants who are non-partisan in its fold.
The inauguration of the CEC coincided with a call by two influential northern groups on the leadership of the ruling PDP to made the stand of the party very clear on the controversial issue of zoning of the presidency. The groups are the G-15 led by former military president Ibrahim Babangida and Atiku Abubakar and the G-20 led by Professor Jerry Gana and Chief Solomon Lar.
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