by Adeola Balogun

Some prominent members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) met yesterday, December 3 to discuss the state of the party as well as the state of the nation.

Those present at the meeting, which held in Abuja, include APC stalwart and former Governor of Lagos, Bola Ahmed Tinubu and former President of Nigeria, Muhammadu Buhari amongst others.

The 5 major points discussed at the meeting are as follows:

1. SECURITY AND BOKO HARAM – Since the declaration of state of emergency in key North Eastern states affected by the insurgency, life and property have been under severe attacks. A large number of residents have been displaced and forced to migrate to adjourning states or outside the country. These victims have been uprooted from their homes, families and jobs. They have lost hope in the ability of their country to protect them. Clearly the state of emergency has failed.

2. ASUU/IMBROGLIO – The protracted strike is not so much the fault of the lecturers but that of the Jonathan administration to confront key issues of university education and administration today. The current impasse has paralyzed tertiary education nationwide, compromised security by creating idle youth potentially foreclosing prospects for a bright future.
Now is the time for the Jonathan administration to show leadership by working with university lecturers to find a lasting a lasting to the challenges confronting university education.

3. INEC – The bungling of the Delta Senatorial election and the Anambra state debacle signpost a broken electoral system. Especially when the umpire openly admits failure, surrenders with no intent for electoral justice. Less than six months to elections in Ekiti and Osun with 2015 looming ahead we are burdened with an INEC that has been de-robed in the public eye, unprepared, compromised and does not inspire faith in the electorate. The scale of electoral fraud witnessed in Delta and Anambra portends grave danger for our democracy. INEC needs an urgent and necessary overhaul.

4. POLITICAL PERSECUTION – The abuse of public anti-corruption institutions by the Federal Government and the ruling party in persecuting perceived political enemies undermines the integrity of these institutions and subverts the rule of law. We have watched the trend in which selected Governors and other top political figures are being victimized. This does not bode well for a civil relationship in our body politic. It emphasizes revenge over fairness and breeds, malice, rancour and distrust.

5. POLICE- The Presidency and the ruling party have deployed the police against the highest principles of federalism. Example of Rivers and Abuja Governors’ meeting at Kano lodge where even subordinate police officers act with impunity has turned Nigeria into a neo-fascist state.

This contradicts the very basis of democracy, violates the fundamental rights of citizens and elected officers who do not belong to the ruling party and perceived as enemies of the presidency. This tendency of turning the Police force into the Rottweiler of the presidency and the ruling party must be condemned and challenged by all lovers of democracy and human rights. This abuse of the police is bad omen for 2015.