15 young presidential candidates sign memorandum of agreement in Abuja aimed at ending APC/PDP dominance

FIFTEEN of Nigeria's young presidential candidates have signed a memorandum of understanding in Abuja pledging to work together for the betterment of the country as the 2019 general elections approach.

Described as a consultative meeting the gathering had the theme Towards the 2019 General Elections: Elections as Revolution. Among those who attended and signed the communique were Omoyele Sowore, Fela Durotoye, Tope Fasua, Ali Soyode, Sina Fagbenro-Byron, Jaye Gaskia, Ahmed Buhari, Thomas-Wilson Ikubese, Comrade Eragbe Anslem, Mathias Tsado

Victor Ani-Laju, Godstime Sidney Iroabuchi, Clement Jimbo and Elishama Ideh, while Kingsley Moghalu was represented

Their communique read: "It is no longer debatable that our country Nigeria has been brought to her knees and is tottering on the brink of collapse. In no more than the life of a generation, our nation and people are witnessing the catastrophic failure of governance and the near collapse of virtually all our national institutions, such that we have now become the country with the largest concentration of poor people in the world.

"The ties that bind us together are today under such enormous pressures, that we can say without any doubt that never in our history have we been confronted by such a scale and scope of existential crises. We are very clear in our minds and share the collective conviction, that our present woes, in their history is as a result of collective failure of leadership by those who have been in the leadership of our country for decades, and the establishment that have institutionalised support in their self-interest and visionless leadership.

We share the grievance and anger of our people, as well as their yearnings and aspirations for a new Nigeria different from the one bequeathed on us by our leaders from independence in 1960 till date 31st July, 2018. We are categorical about those who should accept responsibility for our failures as a nation 1960-2018 and as visionary presidential aspirants coming together under Pact, we are united in our convictions, that our national

rebirth can be achieved through collective engagements to install a new political order 2019 by taking up leadership responsibilities in the overall common good."

Among other things, the presidential aspirants also agreed to an eight-point action plan. This includes:

(1) Recognising that at the core of our existential challenges as a people and nation is the failure of leadership

(2) We affirm, that as the new face of visionary leadership for our country, we are collectively stepping into the fray, to fill the leadership vacuum, and offer leadership at this momentous juncture in our history

(3) We affirm that collectively, we are committed to the process of building a United Front to mobilize our people to lead the change we desire during the 2019 general elections

(4) We understand that Unity is a process, and not an event, and as such, we undertake to effect necessary steps towards consolidating on the process of building a united front based on shared vision and ideas

(5)  Towards this end, we are in agreement that internal party processes towards producing eventual party candidates and flag bearers should be allowed to reach its logical conclusion

(6)  Furthermore, we are committed to step up the process of building a united

front once party candidates have emerged and shall continually hold consultations among ourselves and broker conversations with our parties towards ensuring that we are able to present a United Front towards the 2019 general elections

(8)  Finally, we know that the 2019 general elections will be a historically decisive one, we know that the conditions are ripening for an electoral process with outcome that can be revolutionarily transformative.

Their communique added: "We are conscious of the fact that, the ploy, by the establishment to form new coalitions with the antics of defection from party to party, is a ploy calculated at ensuring that power does not slip out off their hands. We denounce such coalition and defection forming pranks and antics as calculated attempts to deceive the mass of our people.

"We call on the mass of our people, who are victims of their misrule, not to allow them to be deceived again. This is why those of us who represent a new crop and paradigm shift in leadership and embodiment of a new vision have agreed to come together and work for the realisation a greater Nigeria for the actualisation of our full potentials in human and materials resources.

"Suffice it to say that, those of us who have indicated interest with our aspirations to lead our country avowed to engage a radical transformational developmental process by way of this resolution reached today Tuesday, 31st of July 2018 as we deliberate on the challenges of our country, with a commitment and resolve to begin the process of taking collective ownership of this renaissance struggle aimed at national rebirth in rebuilding the nation."

According to the candidates, they recognise the crises we face as a people and understand that the collective leadership failure of the current ruling establishment is responsible for this failure. They added that they have thus stepped forward, to stand in the breach and provide the new type of visionary leadership for the country.

They added that such new leadership, so sorely needed is the basic requirement for us to achieve national and human development and realise our full potential as a people and nation. They therefore affirmed that they are the embodiment of the new Nigeria and of the process to achieve national liberation as a country social emancipation as a people and societal rebirth and renewal.