DR ABUBAKAR ALKALI
Convener, Movement for a New Nigeria
(MNN)
alkalizai@yahoo.com
Recent events have yet again, established the fact that Nigerian youths are on the verge of taking over power at centre in the 2023 elections.
More than anything else, the #EndSARS protest which started as a peaceful protest but later hijacked by hoodlums, has underscored the fact that Nigeria needs a new crop of leaders. The protest undoubtedly depicted the anger and frustrations of the great Nigerian youth at the way things are going on in the country; High rate of unemployment and unbearable poverty, rising rate of insecurity, police brutality, economic downturn, ASUU strikes, etc.
Of course those who felt the protests were sponsored to cause regime change are entitied to their opinion. Alas, under a democratic dispensation, the only way to change government is through the ballot box. #EndSARS is not an end but a means to an end. Government can only be charged through a constitutionally democratic process based on the consent of the people.
The frustrations exhibited by the great Nigerian youths will not go away unless and until the current status quo is replaced with jobs, economic prosperity and guaranteed security of lives and properties.
It is fair to say that job creation is the common denominator in the search for solutions to the myriad of challenges facing the country today. Job creation will translate into economic prosperity, fully engaged youths in productive activities and by implication, better security for our dear nation.
Clearly, the protest was going on well up until misguided hoodlums, miscreants, areas boys and other street urchins took control and visited unexpected mayhem and violence on our dear country. Government was not proactive in tanking the #EndSARS protests hence the free looting and carnage that followed. If the inaction or delayed response of the federal government during the #EndSARS protest led to the death of more than 100 people, then we all should be worried.
The protest was unfortunate on a general scale having led to the death of many citizens including the police, army and other security agents. If anything, the protest was a wake up call to our dear country that the youths are tired of unemployment and poverty. Many youths have graduated from tertiary institutions and walking the streets daily without jobs.
It is unfortunate that the nation has lost about N5 TRILLION from the #EndSARS protest. Is this caused by lacked of ideas to create jobs, lack of the will to implement the ideas or both?
N5 TRILLION is a huge amount of money which could have otherwise been used to create jobs through skills acquisition and even pay unemployed youths a monthly stipend of N10,000 in these hard times amid COVID-19 pandemic.
As a way of cushioning the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic, the federal government should implement an intervention programme aimed at paying a monthly stipend of N10,000 to every unemployed youth in Nigeria. This will go a long way in preempting the much talked about ‘#EndSARS round 2’
The youths are saying loud and clear that it is not right for ASUU to go on perpetual ‘salary increase-inspired strikes covered under the guise of ‘fighting for increased University funding. ASUU should consider the children of the poor masses who are the ultimate victims of these unnecessary strikes heaped on salary increase.
REDUCE SALARY AND ALLOWANCES OF SENATORS AND MEMBERS HoR
Nigerian youths are saying that it is not justifiable for a senator to take a whopping N35 million while a member, House of Representatives takes N24 million per month when minimum wage for federal civil servants is a paltry N30,000. The salary of a senator should be reduced while the salaries of ordinary civil sevanys should be increased. Senators should be placed on salary scale of grade level 17 equivalent of a director while members House of Representatives should be on grade level 16 equivalent of a deputy director.
Obviously, Nigeria needs a unicameral legislature. The federal government should close the senate and maintain the only the House of Representatives with TWO representatives per state. Use the savings from the downsizing of the National Assembly to industrialise Nigeria and implement a skills acquisition programme to create jobs for Nigerian youths. The current bicameral legislature - senate and House of Representatives cannot be justified by the current level of poverty in our dear country.
The Lagos state government was spot-on when it announced the scrapping of the illegal and obnoxious pension payments, free houses and cars for former governors and their deputies. These are the issues the great Nigerian youths are talking about. It is good that some answers are being provided.
Other states should follow the footsteps of Lagos and scrap the illegal laws that gave pensions, free houses and cars to former governors.
What is stopping the federal government from reducing the jumbo and humongous salary of senators and members HoR and increasing the salary of lower levels 10 and below in the civil service? Of course, the principle of separation of powers in sections 4, 5 and 6 of the 1999 constitution (as altered) does not give a blank cheque to senators to fix a jumbo salary for themselves.
The revenue mobilisation, allocation and fiscal commission (RMAFC) needs to urgently step in and drastically review the salaries and allowances of senators and members, House of Representatives. How can a senator take N30 million monthly when their constituents sleep with empty stomach? How can there be peace under these circumstances?
ONLY THE YOUNG GENERATION CAN BRING GENUINE CHANGE TO NIGERIA.
A critical look at Nigeria’s journey from 1999 to date will reveal that at the beginning in 1999, we had civilian governments that do not even speak about ‘CHANGE’. Past governments from 1999 have never spoken to Nigerians about CHANGE. At best they only talked about maintaining the obnoxious status quo that has brought Nigeria to its knees.
In 2015, the President Buhari administration started to speak about CHANGE-a good departure from the past at least- but the CHANGE never came up till this moment. There were no methods, models or institutions to bring about the change that Mr President was talking about. As a matter of fact, some top government officials in the Buhari administration allegedly used the CHANGE mantra to help themselves and lay their hands on state resources meant for the masses. The zeal that the current government came with seems to have been subdued by the alleged penchant to make illegal money exhibited by some top officials in this administration.
Everyone knows that President Buhari is sincere about change but same cannot be said for most of the officials around him although the buck stops on his table.
So, it is fair to say that we have progressed since 1999 but still far away from our destination. That progress will eventually translate into the taking over of government by the young generation in the 2023 elections and beyond.
Nigeria’s political journey pre-2023 and post-2023 can be summarised as follows:
1999-2015: CHANGE not on the card. No political will to change Nigeria. Motion without movement.
2015 -2023: CHANGE on the card but NO political will to bring about change. Movement without motion.
2023 going forward (when the young generation take over): CHANGE on the card. Clear political will to change Nigeria. Motion and movement to the desired destination of jobs, economic prosperity and security
NIGERIA NEEDS A DIGITAL PRESIDENT IN 2023.
Almost every group in Nigeria has been tested with the task of leading the country except the youths. 2023 is the right time for the mantle of leadership to be handed over to the Nigerian youths. The youths and young generation have new ideas to create the NEW NIGERIA of our dreams.
FAST FORWARD to 1999 at the beginning of Nigeria’s current adventure as a democracy, two things look very clear;
1. ‘The current crop of political office holders CANNOT change Nigeria’
2. ‘Nigeria needs a brand NEW crop of leaders to take her to the desired destination of economic prosperity, peace and security.
At best what we have seen in Nigeria in the last 21 years of democracy is an attempt by political office holders to ‘maintain the status quo. The same status quo that brought the nation to its current state of despair.
Insecurity has now worsened the pre-2015 status quo.
Certainly, things are not right in Nigeria, not even close when:
- Farmers in Borno, Katsina and Zamfara cannot go to farms for fear of terrorists and kidnappers.
- One cannot travel by road from Ibadan to Akure without your hand on your chest.
Sometimes early this year when yours truly travelled along the Sokoto - Gusau - Kaduna road, we all were in celebration mood when we successfully drove past the dreaded ‘Dogon Karfe’ between Tureta and lambar Bakura without falling victims of kidnapping. The driver almost parked by the roadside to celebrate the successful ‘cross-over’.
Again, when yours truly travelled along the dreaded Mayanchi - Anka -Daki Takwas road in Zamfara state, it was the same story. Our hands on our chests until we got to our destination in Gummi. There was every chance that we could have been kidnapped anywhere on that road. Thank God we travelled all the way and back safely.
The 2023 elections should birth a new crop of leaders for the nation. Indeed, Nigeria needs a new crop of leaders that can employ a mix of youthful exuberance and patriotism to ensure that the system works for everyone not only those in government.
For as long as a select few -less than 5% of the population- continue to corner the enormous resources of the country to themselves, for so long that peace will continue to elude our dear nation.
Nigeria must create wealth and ensure that the wealth reaches EVERYBODY including the unborn child.
Nigeria needs a brand new, digital and YOUNG PRESIDENT in 2023.
Nigeria needs a NEW CONSTITUTION that will institute certain fundamental changes and ensure that the enormous wealth of the nation reaches every citizen.
Our dear country needs a DIGITAL PRESIDENT in 2023 to bring new digital ideas and take Nigeria to the dream destination of economic prosperity and peaceful coexistence.
The world is moving so fast in information and communications technology (ICT), our dear country Nigeria cannot afford to be left behind.
NOT-TOO-YOUNG-TO-RUN ACT
Perhaps the most potent booster and tonic to youth participation in politics in Nigeria is the extremely popular not-too-young-to-run law. The NTYTR bill was transmitted to President Buhari in April 2018 which he signed the following month May 2018. The prompt accent and dispatch of the NTYTR bill by Mr President is a clear indication of his support and encouragement for the young generation to actively participate in politics with a view to making their marks. One recalls Mr President’s rather humorous remark during the sign-in ceremony of the bill on 31st May 2018 when he told Nigerian youths ‘You can aspire for President but please postpone your campaign till after the 2019 election.”
This remark is in obvious reference to President Buhari’s plans at the time to seek re-election in the 2019 elections which he won convincingly. The light remark and signing of the bill are clear indications that Mr President is NOT averse to Nigerian youths taking over power in 2023 but as he always says, they must work hard for it.
Indeed, Nigerian youths are ready to work hard and earn political power in Nigeria in the 2023 elections and beyond.
The NTYTR act is all about lowering the age-ladder to enable Nigerian youths and young people contest for elections. The NTYTR law is an alteration of sections 65,106,131 and 177 of the 1999 constitution which specifies the age limits for contest into certain elective offices in the country.
By the NTYTR act, the age limit to contest for the Presidency was lowered from 40 to 35, Governor from 35 to 30, senator from 35 to 30, House of Representatives from 30 to 25 and state house of assembly from 30 to 25. The age ladder is now lowered for the youths to contest elections in Nigeria.
Indeed, the NTYTR law has inspired many young Nigerians into seeking for elective offices in the 2019 elections and the coming 2023 elections. The law has also inspired some of our governors into appointing youths in their cabinets. Cross Rivers state Governor His excellency Ben Ayade deserves a mention in this regard having appointed several young and vibrant professionals in their 30s such as Dr Betta Edu, Asuquo Ekpeyong, Asu Okang etc. Oyo state Governor Seyi Makinde also deserves accolades for appointing Asiwaju Seun Fakorode who at 27 years old, entered history books as Nigeria’s youngest commissioner ever.
Governor Nasir ElRufai is implementing a youth-friendly policy in Kaduna state with the appointment of several young men into his cabinet including his chief of staff, Mohammed Sani Abdullahi, MD of KADSTEP Muhammad Hafiz Bayero, MD of KADIRS Dr Zaid Abubakar and several other young men and women in their 30s. Several state governors across the country have done extremely well by appointing young people in their government.
THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT’S HANDLING OF #EndSARS PROTESTS WAS A DISASTER
The federal government’s response to the #EndSARS protest was belated and delayed which ultimately led to its hijack and the free flow of blood, rape, carnage and looting. More than 100 people killed in the protest while the federal government was thinking of what to do.
The federal government allowed the protest go on in obedience to section 33 of the 1999 constitution under citizens’ fundamental right to free speech and assembly but it was clear that the protest will eventually be hijacked by hoodlums with a different agenda. The right to protest under the 1999 constitution comes with a responsibility. The government cannot sit-by under the guise of ‘constitutional rights’ to allow violence and hooliganism take over and then come back to talk of compensating victims, rebuilding burnt down government property, a healing process etc. This is definitely not good enough.
Where were Nigeria’s intelligence community, the DSS, NIA, Police, the military etc that should have proactively uncovered the likelihood of a violent hijack of the #EndSARS protest and nipped it in the bud?
Just think about the unfortunate losses of lives and monumental loss of property during the protest. More than 100 lives lost. Property worth N5 trillion lost (this is 50% of Nigeria’s annual budget). Rape, arson were all at play during the protest. This is unfortunate and should serve as a big lesson going forward. Government response must not only be decisive but TIMELY. A stitch in time could save a generation.
How can Nigeria with all its resources not be able to handle a simple protest and literally sitting-by while it degenerates into violence?
The federal government should have dispersed those peaceful protesters after it disbanded SARS and accepted ALL the 5 for 5 demands of the protesters.
How could the government have allowed such a large congregation that is clearly against physical distancing and other COVID-19 protocols? It is highly likely that some of the protesters have contacted coronavirus during the protest.
AMNESTY FOR KIDNAPPERS IS A RUSE.
People are being killed almost on daily basis by kidnappers in Borno, Zamfara, katsina and state governors not knowing what to do, have resorted to a so-called ‘amnesty programme’
Some pertinent questions in this regard:
1. How could anyone think that giving a criminal terrorist and kidnapper money will make them drop their guns and stop their criminality?
2. What is the federal and state government’s model and strategy to stop these killings?
Instead of confronting the problem head-on, enacting and enforcing new legislation, some state governors are ‘negotiating’ with the terrorist Fulani kidnappers. The federal government is staging graduation ceremony for Boko haram terrorists, begging them to drop their guns. This is ridiculous!
The governors of the states hard-hit by banditry and kidnapping viz Zamfara, Katsina etc should borrow courage and a leaf from the focused and exemplary Governor Zulum of Borno state who stood against Boko haram terrorists in his state.
Considering the fact that the best strategy some governors have adopted in dealing with the criminal kidnappers is ‘amnesty’ it is fair to say that ‘WE ARE ALL IN TROUBLE.
Yes, we are ALL in trouble if our governors are afraid to stand up and apply the big stick against the kidnappers but instead, chose to apply a half-thought, sloppy and cavalier ‘amnesty’ approach against the kidnappers.
Recent reports have it that farmers in katsina and Zamfara states pay as much as N1.7 million to kidnappers as tax before they can go to their farms.
Farmers in Northern Nigeria have to negotiate with the kidnappers before they can plant and/or harvest their crops. Food insecurity is setting in. God help us
Indeed, WE ARE ALL IN TROUBLE if:
- Farmers cannot go to farms for fear of being kidnapped.
- Our state governors are subdued by kidnappers forcing these governors on their knees to ‘beg’ them?
The best way to deal with criminal kidnappers and terrorists is full force. Even if the government will negotiate, it will be after our security forces have decimated and broken the back of the terrorists and kidnappers then the criminals will come and beg the government for amnesty.
Criminal terrorists and kidnappers should beg the government for amnesty not the other way round.
The first step towards tackling the scourge of kidnapping is proper legislation. The federal government must enact the right laws against these criminals which should be implemented within the shortest possible time. A kidnappers or terrorist should be sentenced within a week. The acts of terrorism and kidnapping are not bailable. Why are kidnappers being offered bail by our security agents?
PALLIATIVES: CLIPPING THE WINGS OF STATE GOVERNORS.
The greatest man’s inhumanity to man was unravelled in the aftermath of the #EndSARS protests when tons of palliatives were found to have been hidden by state governors in active collaboration with the ministry of humanitarian affairs and disaster management.
It beggars belief as to how palliatives donated by private individuals under the aegis of CACOVID could be stored away by governors assisted by the ministry of humanitarian affairs when hunger and poverty ravage our communities like wild fire.
The ministry of humanitarian affairs cannot exonerate itself by passing the buck on state governors. Why did the ministry chose to submit the palliatives to state governors knowing full well that governors do not have the sincerity and capacity to ensure a fair distribution of these palliatives?.
Everyone knows that state governors will politicise the distribution of these palliatives and divert them for the 2023 elections. That’s exactly what happened.
The same state governors were given so much money by the federal government from the Paris club refund last year to pay salaries which some of them diverted and the salaries were never paid. How could anyone give the same state governors palliatives and expect that it will not be diverted?
If the ministry of humanitarian affairs was sincere and not working in cahoot with the state governors to divert the palliatives, they should have distributed these palliatives DIRECTLY to the grassroots communities using non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and private consultants.
State governors are moving gradually towards being emperors in Nigeria. The reason is because they have too much money sent to them from the federation account. To clip the wings of state governors and ensure in a better governance especially at the grassroots, less money should be sent to state governors from the federation account. Let the state governors look inwards and generate revenue internally (IGR). The state governors sit on both their share from the federation account and also the revenue allocation for local governments totalling about 46% despite the federal government directive to the contrary.
Effective June 1st 2019, stsre governors are not allowed to sit on revenues from the federation account meant for local governments but this is not the case today.
The way to go is to create community development centres (CDC) at the ward levels and send part of the revenue allocation from the federation account to the CDC. This calls for a review of the revenue allocation formula. For a more people-oriented and grassroots development agenda, the current revenue allocation which gives so much money to the centre (51%) should be reviewed as follows:
Federal government: 35%
State government: 10%
Local government. : 20%
Community Devt Centres (CDC): 35%
To achieve the above sharing formula, the federal government must shed weight. The current wage bill of the federal and state governments is too high hence the civil service should be trimmed to an affordable size for efficiency and effectiveness.
The salaries and allowance of top government officials in the executive, legislature and the judiciary must be cut down in the spirit of justice and fairness.
WHEN THE POLICE CANNOT DEPEND ITSELF, HOW CAN WE, ORDINARY CITIZENS?
The #EndSARS protest has yet again, clearly exposed the very serious weakness in Nigeria’s police force. During the looting part of the protest, the Nigeria police were easily over-powered. 22 policemen were killed, some of them burned to death, others beheaded. 205 police stations were burnt down. A large cache of ammunition stolen from the burned police stations. In Lagos state alone, 6 police officers were lynched, 37 left in critical condition, 17 police stations were burned and more than 100 AK-47 rifles looted (these rifles are now in the wrong hands).
As a matter of fact, some policemen were reported to have relocated from areas of duty with their families out of fear for their dear lives. Police barracks became ghost towns as they were deserted.
Clearly, the police were ill-equipped to effectively respond to such mass actions as the #EndSARS. The question here is: who will defend the people if the police cannot defend itself?
There is no emphasising the fact that the earlier the federal government embarks on a surgical operation and strategic reforms of the Nigeria police, the better. More funding for the police force. Federal road safety commission (FRSC) and national security and civil defence Corps (NSCDC) should be merged with Nigeria police to obtain the required ratio of 1:500 (one policeman to 500 citizens) in line with international standards and to secure the country. It is incomprehensible that a Governor, minister,senator or any average government official could have as many as 10 policemen attacked to them while there are no policemen in our rural areas to defend ordinary citizens.
The government should withdraw all policemen attached to governors, ministers, public office holders and private citizens. Any government official who needs a convoy of security guards should hire PRIVATE SECURITY guards and pay for it.
Training and re-training, better conditions of service including increased salaries and allowances will go a long way in bringing the needed reorientation amongst our police men and women.
NNAMDI KANU MUST FACE JUSTICE AT THE INTERNATIONAL COURT OF JUSTICE AT THE HAGUE
The recalcitrant lunatic and leader of the outlawed terrorist group, the indigenous people of Biafra (IPOB) should be forced to face justice at the international court of justice (ICJ) at The Hague for his role in inciting hooligans to kill civilians, policemen and other security agents during the #EndSARS protest. There is a well-documented and verifiable evidence on the role played by Nnamdi Kanu during the recent #EndSARS protest where he used the so-called Radio Biafra to encourage, instigate and sponsor the killing of civilians and security agents. There is a widely held belief that the killing of some policemen and civilians during the protest could have a link to Mr Kanu’s call for genocide in Nigeria during the #EndSARS protest. The federal government should not fold its arms and watch agents of destabilisation continue to sponsor a Rwandan-type genocide in Nigeria.
Clearly, the so-called IPOB is not about Biafra but a commercial franchise used to make money from unsuspecting members of the public. The igbos are industrious and peaceful people, they deserve better than IPOB.
The right course of action is for the federal government of Nigeria to apply for extradition of Mr Kanu from anywhere he is taking refuge and subsequent arraignment at the ICJ.
For a start, the frequency through which the so-called Radio Biafra operates should be surpressed, blocked, deactivated and corrupted even if to ptotect innocent citizens from the murderous campaign for genocide by Nnamdi Kanu oozing out of the infamous radio Biafra.
Nnamdi Kanu and his terrorist IPOB co-travellers are doing so much harm to the Igbo people. It is time the law takes its course on this outlawed group.
It is important that Newspapers and other media outlets reporting IPOB activities and promoting their network should be made to face the full wrath of the law. The licence of any newspaper or media organisation reporting and promoting IPOB should be revoked. The constitutional provision of freedom of expression comes with a responsibility.
#EndSARS SHOULD NOT REPORT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TO THE U.N, U.S OR U.K. AS ONLY HOME GROWN SOLUTIONS CAN SOLVE NIGERIA’S CHALLENGES:
While some promoters of the #EndSARS protests thought the best course of action is not to dialogue with the federal government but to ‘report’ the government to the international community: the U.N, U.S, and the U.K, it is pertinent to ask some questions:
- What do the #EndSARS promoters hope to achieve by ‘reporting’ their own country to other countries who are neck deep in trying to solve their own problems particularly the COVID-19 pandemic?
- How will another country interfere in the affairs of Nigeria - a sovereign state?
- How will denying U.K or U.S visa to President Buhari and members of his cabinet stop police brutality in Nigeria?
- When did two mutually exclusive events ‘visa ban’ and ‘EndSARS’ became mutually inclusive?
It is very critical for all us Nigerians to not only understand but also appreciate the fact that ‘The U.S, U.K or any foreign country for that matter WILL NEVER come and solve Nigeria’s problems. At best, they can only COMPLIMENT our efforts. Hence, it is a waste of time and resources to always rush to the U.S or U.K cap in hand begging them to solve our problems. They too have their challenges to tackle so how will they have time for our own challenges?
This tradition of running to the U.K and U.S for solutions to issues that can otherwise be solved in-house needs to stop if we are to build the NEW NIGERIA of our dreams. At best, the culture only serves to expose our inherent division and disunity. The U.S and the U.K are certainly Nigeria’s partners in trade, commerce, humanitarian activities etc but not in crisis management. In times of crisis such as #EndSARS, Nigerians should dialogue and identify in-house solutions rather than running to the U.S or U.K. In this vein, the promoters of #EndSARS should accept the federal government’s offer for dialogue. They should set up a committee to dialogue with the federal government so as to address their demands. This is in line with our model for a NEW NIGERIA.
NIGERIAN YOUTHS SHOULD SHUN VIOLENCE
The great Nigerian youths must work hard to earn and capture power at the centre in 2023 as power never comes as a gift. Power comes through hard work, persistent advocacy, consistent positive actions at nation-building, courage to right the wrongs, knowledge and belief inter alia.
Violence is never on the menu for a NEW NIGERIA.
Violence is not a tool for the youths to capture power in Nigeria.
The youths should shun all forms of violence to enable them capture power in the 2023 elections.
The only legal means to power is the democratic process through the ballot box. Indeed, Nigerian youths can capture power if they can establish a United front. Unity among Nigerian youths is sine qua non to capturing power at the centre.
YES Nigerian youths can WIN the Presidency in the 2023 elections.
Why not? About 65% of registered voters are youths and young people.
Only when the youths have their OWN President that they can create their own brand of police and permanently #EndSARS.
In fighting for power and building the NEW NIGERIA of our dreams, Nigerian youths should be TOTALLY UNITED. There should not be Hausa, Yoruba, Igbo, Efik, Kanuri, Fulani, Urhobo or any ethnic lineage. There should not be a north or a south but only ONE NIGERIA.
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