Nobel laureate, Prof. Wole Soyinka, a former Minister of Education, Dr. Oby Ezekwesili; the Co-Chairman of the Nigerian Intervention Movement, Dr. Jhalil Tafawa-Balewa, are among the personalities expected to attend a summit in Abuja on Wednesday.
Spokesman for the NIM, Mallam Naseer Kura, said in a statement on Sunday that like-minded persons like legal luminary, Prof. Ben Nwabueze (SAN), renowned political economist, Prof. Pat Utomi, and a former governor of Cross River State, Donald Duke, would also grace the event.
The Co-Chairman of the NIM, Dr. Olisa Agbakoba (SAN), who is a former President of the Nigerian Bar Association, as well as the President of the Nigeria Labour Congress, Ayuba Waba, and the lawmaker representing Kaduna-Central senatorial district, Senator Shehu Sani, are also listed as attendees.
According to the statement, the summit is designed to bring together both old and new generation of political leaders in Nigeria, for the first time, towards “finding an appropriate political road map for Nigeria’s troubled democracy, while facilitating a grand political coalition of fresh breed of political leaders ahead of the 2019 elections.”
Others expected at the event are a former Minister of Defence, Theophilus Danjuma; elder statesman, Chief Edwin Clark, ex-Finance Minister, Adamu Ciroma, a former Minister of State for Defence, Dr. Olu Agunloye, and Col. Abubarkar Dangiwa (retd.)
The immediate past Chairman of the Northern Elders Forum, Chief Paul Unongo, and Air Cdre Dan Suleiman (retd.), are also listed as personalities to “address Nigeria’s past, in order to provide a veritable political compass for emerging fresh breed of leaders in navigating the future for the country.”
According to NIM, the summit promises to be a very fertile ground to breed national understanding and reconciliation.
Three presidential aspirants, Mr. Fela Durotoye, Mr. Kingsley Moghalu and Omoyele Sowore, who is also the publisher of Sahara Reporters, are expected to share their views on inclusive democratic review of the Nigerian constitution, referendum, equitable political structure for Nigeria, popular democratic system of government suitable for the country, 2019 general elections and the options for masses, among others.
PUNCH.
