United Kingdom-based pro-democracy and human rights organization, Women of Africa has accused the administration of President Goodluck Jonathan of corruption and incompetence and therefore urged Mr. President to step aside in the overall interest of the nation.
In an open letter to the president, made available to Alltimepost.com by the organization’s president – a lawyer, pro-democracy and human rights activist, Mrs. Alice Ukoko, the group bemoaned the current state of affairs in Nigeria.
The organization copied various world leaders in the letter, including British Prime Minister, Mr. David Cameron, United States President, Mr. Barack Hussein Obama and United Nations Secretary-General, Ban Ki – Moon
Below is the full text of the letter:
Your Excellency, I am making this letter an open for two reasons:
- To make the content available to Nigerians worldwide
- To ensure that you receive it one way or another.
It is with great anxiety that we write this open letter to you as most Nigerians struggle to come to terms with the continuing challenges that our country continues to have.
Mr President, you represent over two hundred million citizens of a Nation whose citizens are amongst the most educated globally. It is therefore worrying that Nigeria should continue to grapple with what represents bread and butter issues.
Thirteen years of seeming civil rule: there is no viable and updated electoral register of voters in Nigeria. Nigerians have been systematically disenfranchised and effectively excluded from the electoral process thereby weakening their ability to hold your government accountable for its failings. The buying of votes does not amount to democracy even in the African context but it amounts to an abuse of the electoral and human rights of Nigerians.
Destruction of Nigeria’s Security Forces
Since 1999 in particular, the country’s security forces have been corrupted and converted to agents of the corrupt ruling class against the Nigeria and its peoples.
- Some career soldiers have become active politicians, office holders in civil businesses, others are actively engaged in pursuit of self interest and supporting corrupt practices rather that protect Nigeria’s from harm
- Substantial numbers of the Nigerian Police Force personnel posted across the country persecuting and killing law abiding citizens to extorting money from travellers trying to go about their daily lives.
- At State level, the security forces are co-conspirators in vote rigging and harassment of those seen as political opponents and civil society
The growth of Boko Haram and other terror groups scattered across Nigeria is testament to the failings of Nigeria’s political class.
The full impact of the state of emergency imposed on three Northern States have made Boko Haram stronger and aggressive in its in killings of civilian population.
The abduction of our Chibok school girls; killing of over 300 dwellers under the watchful eyes of the world while campaigning to bring back our girls highlights the freedom and impunity with which Boko Haram terrorists have become accustomed.
Although the volume of the security votes in the annual budget of the country from the Federal level to the 36 States of the Federation and the insecurity and loss of lives run parallel to show the grand rate of corruption and destruction of Nigeria’s security forces.
The prolonged failings of Nigeria’s education and other vital systems have produced citizenry unable to differentiate between the interest of the Nation and that of the political classes. Rather than stand by Nigeria and the public interest, many align themselves with self-serving political class for their own personal gain.
Amongst others Mr. President
Historic Perspective
One hundred years ago the ethnic Nationalities of the present Nation were amalgamated without being consulted to become present day Nigeria. Since Nigerian Independence in 1960 no Nigerian government has sought to address the underlying challenges that this amalgamation caused with the aim of finding a lasting solution acceptable to all peoples.
The Struggle against direct military dictatorship in Nigeria
Your Excellency, it is to bring about democratic governance and free the people from the strangle hold of thirteen years of direct military dictatorship as at 1993, that Alice Ukoko and others mounted an international campaign against the annulment of June 12 1993 Presidential elections. It is painful to see that although Nigeria returned to civil rule in May 1999, the repression of the people, their hopelessness and alienation from the affairs of their own country worsened instead of improved.
Nigerians are being forced to live on less than one pound sterling (£1) a day whilst those in political offices and their assistants are living affluently. The country’s formal systems have collapsed and Nigeria has become a do-it-yourself country with graduates relying on financial handouts from relatives and friends outside the country. It is no wonder that criminality is fast becoming the major way of life in Nigeria today.
Nationalism is about one’s personal belief and preparedness to serve his/her country instead of self. It is not about how much money one acquires from the public purse.
After all said and done
Your Excellency we need to put on record that Nigeria is a member of a civilised world and:
- With the current level of insecurity leading to the abduction of over two hundred school children in Chibok in Borno State, Northern Nigeria;
- The continued massacre of Nigerians across the country;
- The continuing bombings;
- The growing rate of kidnapping for ransom;
- Chronic and continuing fuel shortages in a major oil producing country
These are all but a few of the many woes trailing the civil rule that Nigerians struggled for. The majority of Nigerians wish for this administration to step aside honourably in the interest of the survival of a potentially great Nation that is on her knees.
Under your administration the country has become bitterly divided on ethnic, tribal, religious, gender and growing political party grounds. Any claim to a belief that Nigeria is untied is therefore a fallacy but more an arrangement of political convenience.
We recognise that no Nigerian in political office ever steps down following a major national incident but if Nigerians with integrity fail to request you to step aside the silence would amount to cowardice.
That the Nigerian Security Forces are not able to keep the people safe is an indictment of the Nigerian government.
STEP ASIDE MR PRESIDENT as Nigeria and her people cannot continue to live under these calamities, it is not enough and indeed appropriate to leave things to God.
NIGERIANS DESERVE TO WORK OUT HOW THEY SAVE & MOVE NIGERIA FORWARD TO END TERRORISM, SLAUGHTER AND GROWING ABUSE OF HUMAN RIGHTS
Yours Faithfully
Alice Ukoko
For Nigeria and the Masses of Nigeria
Officially Copied
- Rt. Hon. David Cameron MP: British Prime Minister
- President Barack Hussein Obama: President – USA
- Ban Ki – Moon: Secretary General United Nations – New York
- Rt. Hon Nick Clegg MP – British Deputy Prime Minister
- Rt. Hon William Hague MP, British Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs
- John Kerry: US Secretary of State
- Dr. Nkosazana Dlamini – Zuma: Chairperson African Union
- Rt. Hon Ed Milliband, MP: Leader British Labour Party
- Secretary General of Commonwealth of Nations
- Mr. Erastus Mwencha: Deputy Chairperson – African Union
- Deputy Secretary General Commonwealth of Nations
- Mark Simmonds MP, British Minister for Africa
- Rt. Hon Harriet Harman MP, QC Deputy British Labour Party
- Pumzile Mlambo – Ngcuka: Executive Director – UN-Women New York
- Rt. Hon Simon Hughes MP, Deputy Leader British Lib-Democratic Party
AN OPEN LETTER
