By Tayo Joseph Lagos, Nigeria
COMMUNIQUE
INAUGURAL MEETING OF THE CORE FEDERALISTS HELD IN LAGOS ON
THURSDAY 6TH JULY, 2017
Members of the Core Federalists held their Inaugural Meeting on Thursday, July 06, 2017 in Lagos to reflect on the emerging challenges of the Nigerian-state and on how to support the process of nation building.
After due reflection and consideration of the sociopolitical developments in the country resolved as follows:
1. Note with concerns that the multiplicity of self determination agitations and political grandstanding leading to the deepening of inherent cleavages in the country; observing that the trend is inimical to the continued existence of the country as an entity.
2. Acknowledge that the interests of all the ethnocultural groups are best secured and served within the continued existence of the Federal Republic of Nigeria; emphasizing that the federal system must however be functional rooted in mutually benefiting and agreeable systems and structures including devolution of powers from the current federal center along with fiscal and revenue control discourses.
3. Recognize that the way forward is the Restructuring of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. To this end, CF acknowledged that the first step in this direction is the harmonization, aggregation and articulation of the various trajectories and variations of the conceptualization of the phrase “Restructuring” as being proposed by political actors and platforms into a synthetic framework.
4. Acknowledge that the Report of the 2014 National Conference has captured most of the ingredients of the views currently being expressed by various political actors and platforms.
5. CF proposes that the incumbent Federal Government of Nigeria do rise up to the occasion and stem the tide of the negative trend, which has the potentials of exacerbating into violent conflicts and another civil war by (a) Implement Restructuring as noted in the APC Manifesto on which they campaigned and won the 2015 Election; using the Report of the 2014 National Conference Report as source document; (b) Formally (re)avail the National Assembly, State Governments and State Houses of Assembly copies of the Report of the 2014 National Conference to commence the implementation of clauses localized to their jurisdictions; and (c) develop and commence the processes of Restructuring with a time frame expiring not later than May 2018 to ensure that the 2019 General Elections would be on the bases of a truly Federal Constitution .
6. Encourage the clear definition and delineation of the geopolitical spaces constituting the federating units of the restructured Nigeria in a manner that would allay the fears of all stakeholders in the Nigerian project.
7. Request that well articulated advocacy and mobilization efforts be extended to other stakeholders such as Traditional and Religious Leaders on the benefits of the sustainability of the Nigerian-nation.
8. Encourage accord partnerships of political actors, entrepreneurs, academics, religious and traditional leaders with reach and linkages across the ethnic groups or geopolitical zones to network and build viable bridges aimed at contributing to the sustainability of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. In this regard, CF salutes the ongoing conversations between some of the groups.
9. Invite all youths across the various ethnic and religious groups to build bridges and network, to promote the conversation, in the interest of true Federation of Nigeria.
10. Encourage the international community, particularly international development partners and nongovernmental agencies to support Nigerians in hosting viable dialogue sessions in a manner that can safely mitigate, manage and transform their current challenges as proactive agents of change for a stable and virile country.
YINKA ODUMAKIN – SOUTH WEST
COL. GABRIEL AJAYI (Rtd.) – SOUTH WEST
HUMPHREY ORJIAKO (Amb.) – SOUTH EAST
OZO NWOBU (Amb.) – SOUTH EAST
OTOKS DAN PRINCEWILL – SOUTH SOUTH
DELE OLUWATADE (Dr.) – SOUTH SOUTH
