By Chimezie Godfrey
The Acting National Chairman, Social Democratic Party (SDP), Dr. Olu Agunloye has called on the Federal Government to revert to people-oriented core principles of social justice in order to contain the insecurity crises across the country.
He made this call during a demonstration by the party at the National Assembly complex on Thursday in Abuja.
According to him, the SDP is deeply concerned about the worsening security situation across the country, occasioned by unabating reign of terror and actions of insurrectionists, agitators and outright criminals which have crippled economic activities in the country.
Agunloye mentioned that the party has studied the state of the national security crisis, the targets and modes of operation, its immediate and remote causes, and the ineffective ways these have been handled since 1998.
He said, “The message of the SDP at this juncture is that Nigeria must return to the basics and no longer follow the same decadent and despotic approaches again.
“It is imperative for Nigeria to revert to people-oriented core principles of social justice to contain the insecurity crisis, curtail political oppressions and stem the tide of agitations for disintegration and move forward as one Nigeria.
“Building national security is a collective responsibility of all the critical stakeholders in Nigeria and the most important stakeholders are the people and only people-centred programmes can redeem the glory of Nigeria.”
The acting chairman stated that the people in a bid to redeem the glory of Nigeria once elected Chief MKO Abiola of the SDP in a free and fair election which was devoid of ethnic or religious considerations, an election that is still considered the best in Nigeria.
He revealed that the SDP in a pursuit of lasting solutions, has decided to send its National Working Committee to deliver a people-centred, Non-Partisan Four-Point Agenda of intervention to the Senate President in his capacity as the Head of the National Assembly of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
According to him, the NWC is also sending individual letters to each one of the 109 Distinguished Senators of the Upper Chambers and to each of the 369 Honourable Members of the House of Representatives as well as to all State Assemblies with individual letters to all the 975 members of the House across Nigeria.
Agunloye who said that the agenda is simple to digest and is based on people-centred ideology, took time to highlight some of the agenda.
He said, “Admit widespread crises and tackle decisively. The Federal Government has legal responsibilities to expand the security apparatus including recalling Military and paramilitary veterans, increase the wages and welfare of security and law enforcement officers and enhance information and intelligence gathering to be more effective and efficient.
“Admit lapses and, repair social architectural order. The Federal Government needs deeper understanding of issues and especially in making decisions while all its actions should be rooted in well-thought through processes based on information, data and intelligence.
“The Federal Government should admit social security imbalance, restructure critical sectors. Enabling inclusiveness is required to address agitations caused by imbalance, injustice, and oppression and Executive and Legislative Arms need to give room for venting of opinions rather than giving divergent opinions.
“The Federal Government should admit reality, change the ‘change’ and adopt social justice. The people want a country where the President must lead and provide leadership and where the lawmakers concentrate on principles of social justice of access to resources, equity for all, participation by all, diversity, and sanctity of human rights.
He further said that the executive arm in collaboration with the Legislators should provide stimulus package for security and developmental programmes and the set up of national security improvement council and a national consensus building project.
