The Director General, National Institute for Legislative and Democratic Studies, (NILDS), Prof. Abubakar O.Sulaiman has inaugurated a committee tasked with the planning of an elite consensus platform where issues bothering the survival and sustenance of Nigeria as a democracy and federal state will be sustained.
Prof. Sulaiman, while inaugurating the seven- man committee in Abuja on Tuesday, said the committee is predicated on the challenges facing the country
from the 4th Republic without adequate attention by successive governments.
The committee is chaired by Attahiru Jega, a former chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
“The initiative is predicated on the fact that when a country is in serious crisis, the way our country is, the honours to reshape the country lies with some people and the people we known as the elite.
“We believe the elite should come together and conceived some paradigm that will address these issues in our country and the first thing is to develop that sincerity of purpose to come out with a clear cut direction; what’s is it we want to achieve as a country regardless who is spearhead the country, Yoruba, Hausa or Igbo man
“We must have a clear cut interest, what’s our primary and objective interest. How do we safeguard this country? How do we protect our territorial integrity? How do we proffer solutions to nagging economic problems? These are primary interests that are non-negotiable.
“Your selection to serve as members of the committee is solely based on your track records and experiences,” he said.
The membership of the committee is composed of Professor Attahiru Jega Chairman; Professor Yusuf Zoaka – Member; Dr. Adewale Aderemi Member; Dr Terfa Abraham Member; Dr. Chris Ngara Member; Dr. Doris Aaron Member/Secretary; Kolapo Q. Abayomi – Member.
The terms of reference of the Committee includes; draw up a concept note that will contain a comprehensive programme of activities with timelines, targeted at achieving the broader objective of the Elite Consensus plan;d raw a concept note towards the realization of a summit to coincide with either democracy day celebrations of May 29th or June 12, 2024; the summit is to be targeted at carefully selected representatives from all categories and segments of the Nigerian Elites to brainstorm and seek to generate consensus on thematic issues.
Others are: subsequently organize meetings, conferences and summits where the conversation will be sustained; extract publishable research outputs from the conversations arising from such seminars, summits and conferences; carry out sensitization, public enlightenment and advocacy on thematic areas aimed at achieving the purpose of the Elite Consensus through the NILDS Democracy Radio 109.4 and other media platforms.
