Former chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof Attahiru Jega, has said unity of purpose, especially among the elite, is required to address the challenges facing Nigeria.
He stated this at a-one day methodology workshop on catalysing elite consensus in Nigeria.
The event organized by National Institute for Legislative and Democratic Studies (NILDS), is designed to engage Jega, renowned academic, Prof Adele Jinadu and other prominent Nigerians to brainstorm and come up with a blueprint that will address Nigeria’s challenges.
Speaking at the event, Jega said “We gathered here, the Academia, people from research institutes, CSO, and the private sector on how to ensure there is unity of purpose from the elite on how to move the country forward.
“We are here to develop a methodology on how to research and address the national issues. We will commission papers and convene a national summit so that everyone should agree on how we can address the issues regardless of who is in power,” Jega added.
On his part, the director general of NILDS, Prof Abubakar Sulaiman, said Nigeria has been through thick and thin and navigated both glorious and difficult times in her journey towards nationhood.
“Our experience today represents another difficult period but as the resilient people that we have always been, I have the conviction that we will, like other times, overcome the current challenges if we take a courageous and bold step to do the right thing,” Sulaiman said, explaining why the workshop was organised which involved the academia, CSOs, media and the private sector.
He added that while all civilizations, nations, and creeds recognise the importance and need for progress and people all over the world from time immemorial have moved to advance their lots, the difficult part has always been for people to agree on the path or strategies that will produce the desired outcome with less negative consequences.
He stated that it is the reason they want a methodology on how to address Nigeria’s challenges.
Sulaiman said Nigeria’s challenges have created a divided society, particularly along economic lines consisting of a highly privileged few and a growing poor majority sustaining a widening gap of inequality.
“While the rich strive to jealously guard their privileged position, the poor have always struggled to change the social order mostly through violent revolutionary means as demonstrated by the May Anti-SAP Riots of 1989, the #Occupy Nigeria in 2012, #EndSARS will protest in 2020 just to mention a few,” he said, adding that NILDS armed with the legal mandate to support democratic institutions, and deepen democratic ideas and values has taken the proactive step to lead in this effort.