News

2019: Group Calls For Mass Movement To Topple Buhari’s Government

Published

8 years ago

April 9, 2018

Optimum Times

President Buhari

A new sociopolitical group, Take Back Nigeria (TBN) has vowed to build a mass movement that is aimed to replace current political leadership and other political establishments in 2019 onwards.

The group has also concluded plans to field candidates for the various elective offices both at the state and national levels.

The Head of TBN Secretariat, Mr. Babatunde Sankara, in a statement said they have followed this up with a Manifesto and program of action, and proceeded to begin the arduous task of building a Mass Political Pan Nigeria Movement.

Sankara said the TBN has also issued an open invitation to all Nigerians who believe in its vision and endorse program, to come and join us to undertake this mission.

Part of the statement read: “When again in October 2017, when we decided that we would proactively engage with the 2019 general elections, as an arena to directly challenge the establishment politically, and contest political power with the discredited elite; we reiterated our call to Nigerians to Join Us on the mission to Take Back Nigeria and Rebuild Our Country; while also renewing our Manifesto and Program of action as our election manifesto for the 2019 general elections.

“We indicated then that we shall be contesting the Presidential elections, and welcome anyone else who endorse our platform, and also wants to run for office as State Governors and or as Federal or State Legislators, to come on board our movement so that together we can join hands to accomplish the historic task that we have set for ourselves.”

“It is this thinking that the national liberation of our country, and the social emancipation of our people will require the collective effort of our citizens, that informs our strategy of alliance building; and the effort we are putting into building an alliance of anti-establishment social forces, including anti-establishment political parties, anti-establishment political movements like ours – The TBN, as well as other anti-establishment social formations such as labour and professional groups among others.”

“It is in the light of the foregoing, and in order to preserve our integrity and credibility, that we are now urging all Nigerians and all supporters of Nigeria to be weary, to avoid being confused and or distracted, and not to let themselves be subjected to being deceived and or hoodwinked by all the various groups bearing our name and appropriating our symbols, but who have no relationship with us.

“Our programs are clear, we have issued official documents clarifying Who We Are; What We Stand For; Our Manifesto and Program of Action; as well as What we Shall Do To Rebuild Nigeria – Our Governance Agenda.”

The group also listed the authentic signatories on behalf platform and movement to include: Babatunde Oluajo Sankara (Secretariat); Yushau Sani Yankuzo (Northwest); Comrade Mamman (NorthEast); Ralph Gabin (North Central); Godwin Frank (Southsouth); Wale Salami Don (Southwest); Kenny Oleru (Southeast); Philip Jakpo (Media); Vivian Bellonwu (Strategy); and Jaye Gaskia (Convener).

The group also warned against identity thefr noting that in recent times the increasing use of its name Take Back Nigeria, acronym TBN, and #TakeBackNigeria, as well as the lifting and paraphrasing of some of core messages, among others by many of citizens and increasingly too by many emergent groups and groupings.

“Our response to this is twofold. On the one hand, this increasing tendency to use and identify with our symbols and messages is a clear indication of the correctness and appropriateness of our message and Mission to Take Back Nigeria – Inch By Inch, and Rebuild Our Country – Brick By Brick. But not only this, it also a measure of the increasing resonance of our message and mission with the ordinary Nigeria, those who have been the victims of decades of maladministration and bad governance fuelled by elite greed, and underpinned by the historical leadership and governance failure of this selfish and self-interested, divisive ruling elite and its establishment.

“And so, we cannot but welcome this embrace of our message by our people. On the other hand, however, there are also those who are using the name of our movement and its symbols for quite a different, but also intrinsically self-interested reasons”, Sankara clarified.

To make matters worse, he said, they have been doing this in a manner that appears to be deliberate in the intension to cause confusion and distraction within the ranks of not only Nigerians in general, but our own membership and supporters in particular.

For the avoidance of doubts, he added, our mission was launched in 2013 on the first anniversary of the January Uprising of 2012 where we issued a call to all activists and active citizens to make the transition From Protest To Power; that is to pick up the challenge of actually contesting political power with the discredited establishment in order to realise the Nigeria of our Vision.

Against this backdrop, Sankara said what is making TBN’s message and mission to gain resonance among people, and what distinguishes the group from all other platforms, including those bearing similar names is the content of the program and messaging.

He said the second is the mission to build a mass political movement and an alliance of social forces beyond the 2019 general elections.

According to him, the reason for this is simple; even while we are engaging with 2019, taking back Nigeria and rebuilding our country requires a citizen led mass movement that will be around for as long as it will take to achieve the mission and realise the vision.

-News Digest