Global speakers and regional representatives joined participants at the Summit of the Alternatives to call for young, gender sensitive, competent, capable and credible leadership through the 2019 elections in Nigeria, as the two-day event focused on shaping narratives to redefine Nigeria’s political landscape through a coalition of credible alternatives.

Held at the Musa Shehu Yar’Adua Centre, Abuja on 15th and 16th August, 2018, the summit was a roundtable discussion to develop a national vision and strategy to ensure effective democracy and structuring guidelines to building a New Nigeria of our dream. And citizens are taking the lead in the framing of a New Nigeria of our dream.

Giving the welcome address, the convener of the Red Card Movement, Dr. Oby Ezekwensili extensively introduced the idea behind the Summit of The Alternatives. She emphasized on the need for a new Nigeria of our dream and the economic implication of having a visionary leadership, with character, competence and capacity.

The summit comprised of influencers and thought leaders that have demonstrated model character, competence and capacity in their various fields, with a strong desire to build and remodel through active engagement in Nigeria’s political space.

The first day kicked off with a keynote speech the ‘A Rallying Cry for an Alternative’, as speakers and partners made presentations that centred on the need for Nigeria to get it right and insist on leadership criteria of character, competence and capacity.

The keynote speaker, Professor Lumumba, commended the efforts of the organizers for coming together to rescue Nigeria from political nightmare and by extension creating hope for Africa and Africans. According to him, “Nigeria is blessed with everything you can think of but leadership; Nigeria has showed its leadership position in the African region through various peace keeping operations in Liberia, Sierra Leone and mention it, Nigeria is the only link to Africa’s success”

The event will also include panel discussions to further drive the new agenda for a new Nigeria. Campaign/Party Finance; Cultivating Grassroots Movements; Media Approaches to Elections; Nuances and Metrics of Youth and Women Inclusion in today’s Democracy; INEC: An Overview of Electoral Preparations in the areas of hardware, software and process; Youth Inclusion and Building a Political Brand.

The second day of the event had alternative political parties and presidential aspirants such Sowore Omoyele, Fela Durotoye, Dr Elishama Ideh, Professor Kingsley Moghalu, Emmanuel Etim, Dr Thomas- Wilson Ikubese, Engineer Martins Onovo, and Tope Fasua who addressed citizens on topical issues centred around the new Nigerian of our dream. These aspirants and political parties considered the need for a coalition of the 89 alternative political parties that will further strengthen the objectives of the summit.

The Summit of the Alternatives is a collaborative idea of different groups such as Red Card Movement, Centre for Democracy and Development, Yiaga Africa, Nigeria First Project, BudgIT, EiE Nigeria and passionate citizens Framing the New Nigeria of our dream.