IN A historic bold move , the African Democratic Congress (ADC) has launched a comprehensive governance principles and code of ethics for elected persons on its platform, party officials and members encapsulated in what that called ‘the orange book.’

The 25-paged document speaks to governance principles of the party, core values, political and Governance principles of ADC, economic principles, the burden of completion principle ,code of ethics ,leaders personal oath and pledge as well as execution of oath.

Addressing journalists at the official unveiling of the orange book in Abuja on Tuesday , the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Malllam Bolaji Abdullahi the document was the first of its kind since advent of democracy in 1999 and will be binding on all members irrespective of their status and office from the least to the office of President .

He explained that the document became operational and binding on the three Presidential aspirants before the emergence of Atiku Abubakar and each of them signed up to it .

“When the coalition movement started, there was one fundamental realization, which is why are we are here? Why are we in this coalition? Why are we trying to build a political party and the answer was very clear.

“The answer was that Nigeria is the best we are in today because of the kind of politics we are playing. And if we have to solve the problem that Nigeria is facing, we have to play a different kind of politics. That is why all the leaders of the coalition agreed that we must play a different kind of politics, because politics and politician in Nigeria has become widely discredited.

“Nigeria has become a country that does not reward honest behavior and does not punish bad behavior. And just when the coalition started, we needed a book that would articulate the governance and ethical principle for a political party on the basis of which you hold members accountable. No party before us since 1999 has done it. I doubt if any political party in the history of politics in Nigeria has had anything like this. The African Democracy Congress is setting a new standard, and our hope and our expectation is that a member elected as member of the House of Representatives elected on the platform of ADC, a senator elected on the platform of the ADC, a House of Assembly member elected on the platform of the ADC, a governor elected on the platform of ADC president elected on the platform of ADC will say I cannot do this because I am ADC.

“I was the Osun final campaign rally, and the national secretary of our party showed me a school, a school that can house more than 3000 students, more than 3000 students, completed libraries, complete with computer centers, with dormitory and everything. He said he made 13 of those type of schools in Osun State. The moment he left government, what happened? Those schools were abandoned. It is not another party, It’s the same APC government that took over from him, and for whatever reason, those projects were abandoned. Those schools were abandoned. We could not even contemplate the enormity of waste that represents.

“Any project that is started by ADC must to be completed by ADC. If we start a project, and if whoever started it leaves office, whoever is taking over from him or her has a duty to complete that project, this is quite significant.If you look across this country today, Nigeria is like a graveyard of abandoned projects but ADC obliges people to continue whatever they have started. They have to finish what has started, and this applies to across global.

“So if an ADC senator or a member of the House is pursuing a bill or a legislative agenda, and for whatever reason he or she is not does not come back, a member of the ADC taking over has a duty to continue because it represents the agenda of the political party, not the individual that he was promoting.

“Now we go to the code of ethics, why this is significant? We have got to a point where we have been socialized as Nigerians to think that morality and ethics cannot go together, and that’s why no matter how badly behaved an individual is, as long as the politician is saying no. That’s not politics. So we think that politics gives people license to tell lies, to behave badly, to do whatever they like. And like the president saying, all is fair in war. All is fair in politics. You could do whatever you like. ADC is saying no. The highest form of morality and ethics is politics, and politics devoid of ethics is just organized criminality and organized crime.

“So ADC is saying we acknowledge the crisis of systemic corruption, of impunity, and of the failure of public trust, which has sunk our politics to the level that we are underpinned.
“Now we produce, we present this code of ethics as a binding covenant between us and the people of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. That when you elect ADC, when you elect the ADC, this is a covenant that is binding, and that’s why we started at the highest level by getting our three presidential aspirant not only to sign to this code of ethics, but to also swear at oath for it. The document describes the code as more than a declaration. It is presented as a radical department of the culture of self-serving politics, and built instead around ethical leadership, public accountability, and prioritization of the common good. As an elected or appointed ADC officials, and that is why you can see that any individual elected or appointed on the platform of ADC is personally and individually responsible for this. So there is no victorious liability.

“I shall never use my position to enrich myself, my family, or my associates. I shall live within my means, my personal and family lifestyle will promote, reflect my local income, and must not display well that I cannot legitimately exclude.”

The orange book mandates members in part C ,under “specific ,iron-clad rules of conduct” to accept to be sanctioned in line with the constitution of the party if, found guilty of violating it’s code of conduct .

The party dismissed fears that people elected on its platform could violate it’s conduct and still go scort free on the basis that they are henceforth binded by the constitution of Nigeria and it’s provisions .

ADC National Legals Adviser and former Edo state Governor, Professor Oserheimen Osunbor said the provisions of the constitution of political parties have always being a reference point by the courts and that once a member signs to abide by its provisions, the party is empowered to institute or activate punitive measures against such earring member .

The ADC admonished all members to see the oath as a solemn,personal covenant made before the party ,Nigerian citizens ,and before God .

It added that,”it is a declaration of unwavering commitment to service with integrity . Every ADC leader, whether elected or appointed into public office , shall swear, affirm and sign this document under oath.”