By Castor Bamidele, Hauwa Hassan, Kalu Amadi, Vera Idowu, March 15, 2021
▪️60% Slash in Salaries & Allowances of all Political Office Holders from President to Councilors from Day One in office.
▪️#EndSARS transformed from social protest to political party youths arm, No cash donations, only campaign materials!
▪️Party Candidates to be directly chosen by Electorates of Wards, House of Assembly/NASS Constituencies & handed to party.
A global, pan-Nigerian political movement, Nigeria Cannot Continue Like This (NCC-LIT), which pledges to take Nigeria from her present multi-dimensional challenges to her finest hour in nation building, is set to roll out its agenda for taking over power through the ballot from the ruling APC and PDP come 2023.
NCC-LIT (pronounced NCC-LIGHT) is said to be formed by concerned and determined progressives from all political parties, eminent social-political right campaigners in Nigeria and Diaspora, civil society organizations, professional bodies and critical intelligentsia from the six geopolitical zones.
The group anchors its confidence for victory of its future political party on a new political ideology called “Resident Democracy,” a unique doctrine of democracy never before seen or heard of in Nigeria or the African continent.
During a pre-press chat in Abuja with the movement’s Global Coordinator, Evang. Comrade Tony Akeni, a social rights crusader and veteran journalist of more than 35 years standing, the coordinator told fellow journalists that the open governance blueprint of NCC-LIT’s Resident Democracy is the most humble service compact, sacrificial and practical political ideology ever presented to Nigerians of any generation or since recorded history of the African continent began.
According to Comrade Tony, “NCC-LIT’s Resident Democracy manifesto is consciously designed to ransform politics in Nigeria from a nation draining enterprise by a privileged few to a low paying, nation building sacrificial service to the people for the supreme benefits of the citizens.
He explained, “With the support of Nigerians, soon after our expected comprehensive victory at the 2023 polls, our political party shall expeditiously proceed to cut down the total salaries and allowances of political office holders, from the President to councillors, down to only 40% of what elected and appointed political office holders currently receive throughout the federation, leaving enormous whales of funds for infrastructure, education and other service developments. And this shall be from day one in office without any of the usual fanciful excuses of insincere political leaders!” the evangelist-politician asserted.
If actualized, the new way of thinking by NCC-LIT would actually be capturing one of the cardinal reform demands of the #EndSARS campaign of October last year, which was for government to cut down on cost of governance in the country.
Expatiating on this, the movement’s coordinator explained: “We shall leave no-one in doubt as to our earnestness, moral will and political punctuality in implementing this component of the Resident Democracy manifesto of our party. We shall begin the policy which we call the Great Gash from day one in office.
We asked how his party would go about it.
“This is how,” he answered. “While campaigning to the electorates of Nigeria from state to state, all the emolument data, statistics and logistics for implementing to the letter the 60% slash of politicians’ remunerations shall be consolidated in justiceable affidavits sworn to by our political party candidates in the highest courts of Nigeria in every state and the magistrate courts of the local government areas where we campaign.
“This is so that from day one in office as Nigeria’s ruling political party from May 29 or June 12, 2023, the Great Gash goes into immediate effect without let or hindrance, without excuse or deferment and so that the compact with the electorates can be justiceable; so that the electorate can sue or do even worse than that knowing the law is completely on their side. That is how honest, earnest and thoroughly transparent we intend to be and will be.”
Another interesting feature of NCC-LIT’s espoused Resident Democracy ideology is its avowed ethical mode and compact of picking its party aspirants and candidates for elections through the people themselves instead of the party.
How Resident Democracy works
The evangelist-politician explained: “Throughout the country it shall be the electorates or constituents of each council ward, state constituency, federal constituency and senatorial district who shall themselves choose in open town hall elections or village square their best character and values determined candidates for council, House of Assembly, House of Reps and Senate. Once transparently chosen, the ward or constituency hands over such candidates to the future political party of NCC-LIT and such candidates, backed by court-sworn affidavit of the people’s consensus, automatically become the candidates of our party.
He went on, “All such candidates shall obtain party candidate forms at zero fee. Of course, on election day, the electorates would naturally rise to resolutely defend their votes, candidates and mandates, with matching support from our party’s national structure.”
EndSARS
The movement’s coordinator revealed that another outstanding achievement of the group towards mobilizing Nigerians for the 2023 elections is its successful amalgamation and consolidation of the peaceful #EndSARS campaign fronts of many states of the federation to form the Age 18 to 45 special youths arm of NCC-LIT. This arm of NCC-LIT, according to him, is named #ENDSARS METAMORPHOSIS (ESM), describing the transforming of the social protest movement into a political organ of NCC-LIT which, according to the coordinator, now goes by the departmental slogan “One Nation, One Mission for Leadership Change 2023.
The NCC-LIT official says it has mobilized and enrolled the #EndSARS youths of 22 states to date as partners of the NCC-LIT political mission by convincing them to eschew all forms of peace disrupting activity to metamorphose instead to political party activism.
“This is one of NCC-LIT’s landmark achievements since January this year,” Comrade Tony explained. “More states of the previously anomalous #EndSARS campaign are queueing now to join the structured, strategically organized youth wing of NCC-LIT.”
He continues, “#EndSARS’ fusion into NCC-LIT has since quickly proved to be an added turbo for the promising victory of the Nigeria people at last come 2023.
We asked, “What is the energy level and sense of being at home integration and harmony from the #EndSARS fronts since they became one with NCC-LIT?”
“Perfect! They appreciate that their amalgamation with NCC-LIT at this material hour of Nigeria’s history is a poetic turning-point. It promises attainment of their lawful, patriotic and constitutionally supported demands for a better Nigeria. Every unlazy youth coming on board is excited by the knowledge that the salient ideals of Nigeria’s amazing youth population of the #EndSARS epoch are now acutely within reach through the NCC-LIT vision and the collective victory of our collectively owned future political party in the 2023 polls.
“From us here at the NCC-LIT portals, let me use this opportunity to on behalf of the Wake Up Nigeria March to 2023 invite all law abiding, justice and freedom loving protesters of the #EndSARS epoch to our door. NCC-LIT’s door is wide open for all development loving #EndSARS protesters in Nigeria, Africa and every continent of the world wherever Nigerians live to become part and parcel of NCC-LIT’s #EndSARS Metamorphosis.”
Funding
The coordinator of the group was down to earth. “It is thin and patchy for now but it will get better. Big things always start small.” Then he revealed something stunning and rare in politics. He said that to demonstrate the integrity of NCC-LIT to the world, the #EndSARS activists and supporters desiring to join the movement, NCC-LIT has a strict policy in place that supporters of the movement and #EndSARS Metamorphosis shall not donate cash to the movement but only finished campaign materials produced by the donors themselves or graphic experts of the secretariat!
Comrade Tony Akeni gave this explanation: “We want donors of the NCC-LIT liberation struggle to be rest assured that no-one is going away to enrich himself with their hard-earned money. So, they either pay by themselves and send finished specified campaign materials to our secretariat or get their proxies to print, produce and supply to our offices nearest to them, or pay directly for billboards, radio and TV space for the freedom movement. The policy will also help to shut the gate to scams by potential impersonators.”
Threats of Security Agencies
The comrade-evangelist did not mince words when we asked if the country’s security agencies might not misunderstand the motives behind unification of the #EndSARS campaign with NCC-LIT, stating: “For identifying with Nigeria’s long suffering youths which governments of the two ruling political parties at various levels have refused to do for decades, I’m available for arrest, questioning, torture and torment of their worst operatives. This is because the integrity, purity and divinity of our motives in identifying with the lawful and righteous yearnings of Nigeria’s politically and social-economically violated youths is firm, unnegotiable and irreversible. History will vindicate me and members of NCC-LIT in the end. So from me, it’s bring it on. You can take my message to the unconscionable elements of Nigeria’s miseducated security agencies who allow themselves to be misapplied by the reactionary government in Abuja. Also convey my word to both of them, masters and agents, that like all their predecessors, they have expiring dates in the offices they presently occupy, as well as their tenancy here on God’s earth.”
The activist asked rhetorically, “Where is Babangida today? Where are Abacha and the killer squads who once lapped murderous and godless orders from their desks in years gone by, all for a mess of Satan’s porridge and five minutes’ fame with black goggles as national security Amicha Bachan?”
Emerging Mergers
We reminded the evangelist-activist that several seemingly potent presidential aspirants, political movements and party mergers have began to spring up in various parts of the country, each with their eyes fixed on 2023. How did NCC-LIT compare its chances and relate with them, especially the moneybags among them who pilot trailer sacks of gold for compromising the perenianially available and commercialized majority of Nigeria’s voting masses and small political parties who are easily bought over in the horse-trading season?
Again he replied without hesitation: “Those political parties and movements who are ready to make genuine sacrifices to save Nigeria, to enthrone good governance instead of another set of vampire successors to the present occupants of Aso Villa and state houses of the federation, those who are committed to doing things differently for epic results for our country to get out of the gulf of calamities we are in are the ones we care about. We have no remedy for those hankering after and positioning themselves for negotiation, seasonal bribes, buy-over and temporary anaesthesia of the their sorrows by forces of treasury pillage and ruin.
“From our name Nigeria Can’t Continue Like This (NCC-LIT), it must be obvious to you that our movement has no place for drivers of merger bandwagons waiting to be settled from trailer sacks of gold, to use your words. Those running after rogues and robbers of the Nigerian nation to come and bribe them into oblivion have no place in our table. In any case, to becalm your temperature, I assure you that NCC-LIT is seeing and keenly watching them.”
We enquired, “How will you differentiate the genuine merger patriots from those who are matching to trade out their followers and the country as their endgame?
“It is easy using a simple NCC-LIT parameter. Throughout the world today, the salient ideals of Resident Democracy is the No. 1 governance transparency model, a zenith brand of democracy which was invented right here in Nigeria. Resident Democracy is NCC-LIT’S political DNA test kit. Those political parties whose leadership are committed to sterling sacrifices towards building a brand new Nigeria of amazing prosperity and First World potentials for peace, security and happiness for it’s citizens will come rejoicing to join the NCC-LIT political canopy when we get to the crossroads of 2023. Those out to trade their followers with status quo overlords of the present system for a moment of bliss in the Fools Paradise of the Corruption Empire of Nigeria will go to other canopies. For us as thoroughbred patriots, we can’t wait to see the backs of such political party wolves and movements. They are free to go and roam between the camps of Sodom and Gomorrah as they are used to doing since 1999. Roaming back and forth between the kitchens of APC and PDP hoping to take over some day for their turns to ‘chop.’
“We also know that there are movements of similar doctrines besides APC and PDP. They are all out there as well as surrogate mergers of the APC and PDP at both the national level and in the states. Sooner or later they will begin setting up canopies all over the place for their own mergers of vultures as we inch towards 2023. It is their choice.”
NCC-LIT’s Action Agenda forward
On the agenda of the movement’s political activities, the social crusader and political reformer stated that this media chat was a precursor to a major world press conference among many others, the first of which would unveil an exciting list of the group’s activities between 2021 and 2022. He gave us a glimpse of these to include the merger of like-minded political parties and movements across Nigeria and the Diaspora, advocacy agenda for credible Diaspora voting backed by verifiable cutting-edge electronic voting technology and a civil society driven musterpoint for constitutional and Electoral Act amendments towards truly free, fair and credible elections in 2023.
774 Days to Nigeria’s Freedom
In conclusion Comrade Tony Akeni called on Nigerians to join Nigeria Cannot Continue Like This movement to lift the unique ideals of its Resident Democracy manifesto to liberate Nigeria from her myriad social-economic hardship from what he described as “grim and gruesome leadership failure.”
He appealed that in doing so, Nigerians must maintain a high sense of patriotism and forbearance, avoid acts of inter-ethnic hate, prejudice and conflagrations. He called for citizens to maintain law and order in spite of the many daily provocations of economic hardship in all parts of the country.
“The days of Nigerians’ agonies from misrule and leadership disaster are known and numbered,” he enthused. “From today the Ides of March, March 15, 2021, it is only 774 days to freedom at last, one day representing each council area of our Republic. If all or the critical majority of Nigerians vote into leadership the future political party of NCC-LIT, our hell and nightmares are as good as over.
“Together, as we approach 2022 and well before 2023, let all #EndSARS protesters and bad governance detesters of our great country bond and bind together to put behind us at last the horrific misrule and numberless calamities of APC and PDP for good.
“It is perfectly possible. And it is actually only 774 days from today. Join the soon to emerge political party of Nigeria Cannot Continue Like This (NCC-LIT) to accomplish this task.”
“Till then,” the crusader concluded, “let every Nigerian under the sun, at home and abroad, hold up his and her end of the sky. Tough and tormenting as the economic hardship and scorge of misrule may be, everyone must keep the peace, keep the law, violate no government, public or private structure but preserve all public infrastructure. Together they are part of the commonwealth of our country.
“Be one another’s keeper, irrespective of tribe, religion, gender and place of abode, within and outside Nigeria. Through the vehicle of NCC-LIT, freedom is coming through.
Shalom. Aslam Maleikum.”
