Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) National Chairman hopeful and former Ogun governorship aspirant in 2023, Otunba Segun Showunmi has on Monday, November 25, 2024 triggered a new paradigm that provides more insight into that enduring political genre in Nigeria.
Showunmi also used the opportunity to engage political actors, national stakeholders, academia, civil society, the media, the political parties themselves, democratic institutions of other nations and all who can contribute to the wellness and sustainability of our democracy even as he announced the birth of “National Opposition Movement Coalition”.
The Abeokuta born politician also decried the surreptitious attempt by the ruling party to foist one party state on the people of Nigeria without paying any serious attention to the excruciating poverty bedeviling the citizenry.
He held that democracy is a system of government that allows the majority of the people to exercise political control in an attempt to minister to the common life of society and to remove the dissonances that trouble it.
He passionately raised this fresh conversation at a world press conference he addressed on Monday with the intention to champion a purpose driven agenda that is capable of stemming the tide of regrets and disappointments in the most populous black nation
Below is the full text of Otunba Showunmi’s press conference he addressed on Monday and obtained by Veracity Desk (veracitydesk.com) .
25th November, 2024
Being Text of Briefing Of Otunba Segun Showunmi with The Media on the unveiling of a paradigm in National Conversion on Democracy.
National Opposition Movement
Nigeria’s democracy has come a long way since 1999.
We have made some progress with multi-party democracy.
We have successfully achieved transfer of power from one party to another in 2015.
However, we have watched the enthusiasm of our citizens wane over the years with each election proving to be worse than the previous.
This has resulted in regression and downward loop in terms of turning out on election day.
We have watched with agony as the clear ideological differences within parties have disappeared, making the choices first about individual personalities and less about values and ideology.
Sadly now, it is evolving dangerously to just money in a highest bidder heist of the suffrage of the electorate in our beloved country.
We have watched the electoral umpire, INEC, improve its guidelines and operational manual.
Yet, rather than an increase in election integrity, what we see is a progressive lack of integrity and transparency in the electoral process.
The judiciary of our country has not been spared as we have observed an unacceptable and dangerous erosion of the integrity of judicial institutions, which ordinarily should provide balance, checkmating institutions of government and protecting the state from a complete collapse.
We have observed an increase in the activities of thugs, other non-state actors and violence at play, adding to the challenges of our democracy.
The reason for the birth of this movement is the need to rescue our nation and democracy from the danger we see on the horizon.
Respect for the principle of party supremacy is now at an all-time low.
A viable opposition to checkmate the activities of the incumbent government is almost non-existent.
There is an urgent need for a platform to engage political actors, national stakeholders, academia, civil society, the media, the political parties themselves, democratic institutions of other nations and all who can contribute to the wellness and sustainability of our democracy.
We have created “National Opposition Movement Coalition”.
This has become necessary as it is obvious that those who are elected members of the opposition have not shown the courage to take on the issues that affect the country and the well-being of the masses.
Far from looking to evolve into a political party, we seek to engage Nigerians and offer guidance on the issues of opposition.
We will embark on advocacy to educate the people on how democracy and electoral outcomes affect them.
We shall spend our time and resources on the reorientation of citizens.
We shall work towards eradicating the menace of trading in votes for a token.
Consequences of the obnoxious practice of trading in votes will be explained through proper education and advocacy.
Those who have continued to pilfer our common patrimony, stealing the country dry, and persons of questionable wealth cannot seize the reins of power and authority of our beloved nation under the guise of democracy.
This we must not allow to persist or endure.
We are proposing an opposition movement which will not lend itself to chaos.
Nigeria as a nation and its citizens cannot be manipulated into crisis by charlatans playing with buzzwords to deceive the citizens into mob action with its attendant consequences.
We have set this noble task for ourselves, knowing the sacrifice required and the trust deficit in the country.
We will move quickly to embark on zonal town hall meetings to engage with the populace and find partners from state to local government and ward levels.
We are proposing a Zonal Time Table as follows:
❖ North Central Zone 7th December 2024
❖ North East Zone 14th December 2024
❖ North West Zone 4th January 2025
❖ South-South Zone 11th January 2025
❖ South East Zone 8th February 2025
❖ South West Zone 15th February 2025.
At each of the zones, compatriots will be encouraged to initiate mobilisation processes and select their leaders to oversee and supervise their local operations.
The march has begun. We are extending our hands in partnership and collaboration to all Nigerians desirous of a vibrant opposition as well as transparent, credible democratic and electoral processes.
This Movement Shall be Christened “THE ALTERNATIVE”
God bless The Federal Republic Of Nigeria
Thank you all.
Otunba Segun Showunmi
Promoter and Chief Convener
