The immediate past chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Prof. Atahiru Jega, will lead Nigerians from diverse political parties and organisations to speak at the public launch of #FixPolitics on Wednesday, November 11, 2020.
Notable young Nigerians that will join the former INEC chairman to canvass on fixing Nigeria’s politics include Aisha Yesufu, Iyinoluwa Aboyeji, Jude Abaga(also known as M.I Abaga), Cynthia Mbamalu, Yemi Adamolekun, Samson Itodo, among others. Dike Chukwumerije will render the Spoken Word on #FixPolitics.
Mr. Felipe Calderon and Dr. Joyce Banda, former presidents of Mexico and Malawi, respectively, have confirmed their participation. Calderon will deliver the keynote speech, while Prof. Remi Sonaiya, a former presidential candidate, will give the welcome address.
The programme itinerary showed that Prof. Chukwuma Soludo, Pastor Tunde Bakare, Fakhrriyah Hashim and Adamolekun are expected to do justice to the first panel session of the day, which is titled, “Is there an Emerging Consensus to Fix Politics?” Dr. Jibo Ibrahim will moderate the discussion.
Dr. Hakeem Baba-Ahmed will be joined by Aboyeji and Mbamalu to discuss “Emerging a New Value-based Political Class.” Dr. Amina Salihu will serve as the moderator.
Jega, Itodo and Ayo Sogunro will take the podium as discussants on “Mobilising a Citizens-led Constitutional, Political and Electoral Reforms,” while Idayat Hassan will moderate.
According to the concept note endorsed by 120 Work Study Group members of #FixPolitics, the event will be live-streamed via Facebook at Fix Politics NG and on other social media channels of the group.
Details on the concept note also showed that the event will feature a documentary on “The Journey to #FixPolitics” as well as another panel session on “Emerging an Empowered and Engaged Electorate,” which would be rationalised by Ndi Kato, Adewunmi Emoruwa, and Dr. Usman Bugaje. Chioma Agwuegbo will moderate the session.
#FixPolitics is the brainchild of Dr. Obiageli Ezekwesili, a presidential candidate in Nigeria’s 2019 general elections and former Vice President of the World Bank.
In a statement issued to the media, on Thursday, through her Publicist and Spokesperson, Mr. Ozioma Ubabukoh, she said the mission of the group was to elevate the office of the citizen to its rightful place in Nigeria and develop a political class of servant leaders.
“The Work Study Group aims at using the public launch of #FixPolitics to inform Nigerians about the research outcomes and stimulate public conversations and unleash ideas that will help emerge an empowered and engaged electorate, produce a new value- based political class and mobilise a compelling public campaign for constitutional, political, and electoral reforms,” Ezekwesili said.
She added, “The overarching objective of the public launch event is to provide opportunity for a ‘Call-to-Action’ to a wider audience of citizens to join the Work Study Group members of #FixPolitics in crystallising the most effective collection action programme that can transform Nigeria’s politics.
“Such launch of activities that will over the years and decades consciously and systematically mobilise citizens across multiple divides of the Nigerian society to take responsibility and collectively course-correct their struggling democracy is the ultimate mission of #FixPolitics.”