THE Concerned Nigeria Professionals and Entrepreneur Forum has said that the campaigns of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the All Progressives Congress (APC) and their candiåates, President Goodluck Jonathan and Major General Muhammadu Buhari are not sufficiently addressing critical issues that are capable to guide or enable the electorate to make the right choices.
Addressing the media in Lagos, Convener of the group, Emeka Ugwu-Oju, said that the campaigns of the two major political parties and their candidates, have not really addressed the issue of fundamental change in the dynamics of the global oil market (guaranteed average low oil price for the foreseeable future) and the negative implication for a mono-product economy like ours.
He also said the campaigns are yet to look at the issue of restructuring or creation of a fair, just and equitable federation.
According to Ugwu-Oju: “We have had a National Conference, which over a period of five months deliberated on various sticky issues that border on the Nigerian question. The conference came up with a comprehensive report, including a set of distilled issues that form the basis for a brand new constitution. What remains to be done is the implementation of the conference recommendations.
How the candidates intend to implement the report or whether they will muster the political will to implement the report is important to the electorate.”
Other issues, he observed, include reduction in cost of governance at the federal, state and local council level, transiting from an oil income sharing to a wealth creating economy, climate change, security of lives and property, unemployment, corruption, food, water and housing, the basic needs of Nigerians, including food, water and housing and education
Ugwu-Oju said, “The question of quality and affordable education for the teeming masses of Nigerians has dragged on for as long as one can recall. There is lean investment in education aside making publicly funded education qualitative and affordable.”
He lamented that many young Nigerians are yearning for university education but cannot get places. Even with the entry by private universities not much has changed.
Ugwu-Oju said as a way of addressing the issues and realising our mission “The forum have planned seven town-hall meetings in the six geopolitical zones and a national town-hall meeting in Abuja where representatives of the two major parties and other stakeholders are expected.
