Ezekwesili, Agbakoba, Utomi and Others Form a New Political Force

Activist, Senior advocates, Academicians, Economists; you name it. The who’s who that once roamed the halls of power have come together to form a new political force, the National Consultative Front. Ahead of the 2023 general elections, the group has professed their objectives to include mobilizing Nigerians for a popular mass action towards political constitutional reforms that are citizen-driven and process-led in engendering a new peoples’ constitution.

The group announced its birth and objectives in a communique released on Wednesday, 1st of July 2020. It was made public by the new group’s National Secretariat in Abuja after month-long nationwide consultations and virtual meetings.

Furthermore, the communique disclosed that “the new movement shall also, without delay, mobilise for the economic wellbeing and prosperity of all Nigerians by demanding and ensuring that Chapter 2 of the present Constitution i.e.; “Fundamental Objectives & Directive Principles of State Policy becomes justiciable once and for all, while also mounting an articulate and vigorous campaign to deconstruct and reconstruct obnoxious election laws which have provided leeway for opportunists in the corridor of power to subvert the will of the electorate making voting irrelevant in determining who becomes elected in Nigeria.”

The steering committee for the NCF consists a 30-man ensemble of prominent Nigerians includes; Former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Ghali Na’abba; former Deputy Governor of the Central Bank, Dr Obadiah Mailafia; Olisa Agbakoba, SAN; Femi Falana SAN; Col. Abubakar Umar (retd.), Dr Oby Ezekwesili; Prof Jibo Ibrahim; Yabagi Sanni; Amb, Nkoyo Toyo, Isa Aremu, Prof Chidi Odinkalu, and Senator Shehu Sani; economist, Prof. Pat Utomi.

Other members of the political coalition are Dr. Kemi George, Dan Nwanyanwu, Dr. Osagie Obayuawana, Prof Remi Sonaya, Mallam Tanko Yinusa, Alhaji Shettima Yerima, Lady Funke Awolowo and Ogbeni Lanre Banjo Peter Ameh; Mrs. Georgina Dakpokpo; Dr Chris Ekiyor; Mr. Jude Feranmi; Saadatu Falila Hamu; Mallam Hamzat Lawal; Hajia Khadijat Abdullahi and Mr. Alistair Soyode.

Members of the group called upon Nigerians of good conscience to come together to deliver the nation from descending into chaos due to the absence of credible leadership. They expressed sadness that the nation’s political leadership has failed to protect Nigerians from the activities of bandits, armed robbers, and terrorists. Particularly, the ongoing mindless massacre and kidnappings in the North West, North East, Southern Kaduna, the Middle Belt, Southern part of Nigeria and the country at large by armed bandits and insurgents.

They then charged the Federal Government, military, and security apparatuses to immediately wake up and do everything to stop the ongoing senseless pogrom against the Nigerians.