2019: Northern Elders Forum, 4 other major Nigerian groups form alliance against APC as they issue resolutions

Prominent leaders of political and socio-cultural organizations in Nigeria met in Abuja on Thursday, August 30, and issued announced a decision not to support the All Progressives Congress in 2019. They spoke about the nation.

- Five groups including the Northern Elders Forum say they will work together for the emergence of a new leadership for the country in 2019

- The groups express worry over the security and economic situations of the country

- The leaders, who met in Abuja, also carpet the vice president for reportedly saying restructuring not Nigeria's urgent solution

Prominent leaders of political and socio-cultural organisations in Nigeria met in Abuja on Thursday, August 30, and announced a decision not to support the All Progressives Congress (APC) in 2019.

The groups also agreed to work for the emergence of new leadership in the country during the forthcoming general elections.

The groups which met under the umbrella of the ‘Summit of Nigerian Elders and Leaders’ include the Afenifere, Middle Belt Forum, Northern Elders Forum, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, and the Pan Niger Delta Forum.

The New Telegraph reports that the groups reviewed the state of the nation in terms of the economy, security, human rights, and the recent political developments.

The report said those who attended the summit included Chief Ayo Adebanjo, Chief Edwin Clark, Air Commodore Dan Suleiman, Prof Ango Abdullahi, Senator Suleiman Dansadau, Dr Chukwuemeka Ezeife, and Prof Gordini Darah.

READ ALSO: Breaking: Buhari heads to China, goes with Akpabio, 9 ministers

Others are Senator Bassaey Ewa Henshaw, Yinka Odumakin and Alfred Mulade, the spokesperson for the Pan-Niger Delta Forum.

The summit claimed that democracy had come under attacks with the current administration.

A communiqué issued at the end of the summit, quoted the leaders as condemning the continued detention of persons granted bail by courts of competent jurisdiction, including the ‘ECOWAS court’.

They also condemned the harassment of journalists as they argued that Nigeria was gradually descending into a full blown dictatorship where citizens’ rights under the constitution can no longer be guaranteed or respected by the government of the day.

“This is clearly evident in the unlawful freezing of the accounts of some governments of the federating units; continuous illegal detention of citizens in spite of court orders granting them bail, as in the cases of Colonel Sambo Dasuki (rtd), former National Security Adviser (NSA) and Ibrahim EI-Zakzaky, the leader of Islamic Movement of Nigeria (IMN); the illegal arrest, detention and mistreatment of 120 women exercising their legitimate rights to peaceful protest in Imo state; the incarceration of journalists, suppression and clampdown on media practitioners, thereby impeding not only on the freedom of the press, but also the right to information; regular denial of access to public utilities to political opponents and extra judicial killings in the country.

“This ugly trend culminated in the invasion of the National Assembly by the Department of State Services (DSS) on August 7, 2018, in an attempt to disrupt and undermine the legislative arm of government.

“This, indisputably, was an attempted coup against constitutionalism, democracy and the rule of law,” the group said.

The leaders demanded for a judicial commission of Inquiry to be set up to examine the recent invasion of the National Assembly by security agents, adding that the outcome should be made public.

The summit also expressed worry that President Muhammadu Buhari was yet to assent to the 2018 electoral act just months to the 2019 election.

The summit kicked against a position by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo that restructuring is not a fundamental challenge in the country.

PAY ATTENTION: Read the news on Nigeria’s #1 new app

They urged Buhari to be consistent with the rule of law by assenting to the electoral act, and opening up the political space for actors to operate freely without hindrance from the government.

They asked the nation’s anti-corruption and security agencies to stop harassing and intimidating politicians, particularly those in the opposition camp.

The leaders said they were not happy with the alleged release of detained Boko Haram terrorists without due process and their reported recruitment into the Nigerian security agencies.

They demanded for the release of Leah Sharibu, Chibok and Dapchi girls, and other innocent Nigerians still being held by Boko Haram.

They rejected the illegal occupation of farming communities by invaders who sack and displace the indigenes and asked the government to act swiftly.

NAIJ.com earlier reported how Professor Wole Soyinka berated President Muhammadu Buhari for saying that rule of law can be suspended in the interest of national security.

Senator Kwankwaso Rabiu announces his Presidential Bid (Election 2019) | Naij.com TV

Source: Naija.ng