Reflections On Basic Vote Catching Manifesto in Nigeria
Firstly, in the present dispensation, if a Northerner wins the 2011 Presidential Election, he should serve only one term of four years.
Thereafter, the Presidency should rotate to the next zone that has not had a chance i.
e.
South East Zone.
This is because rotation should be applied on zonal basis and not on North and South basis, which puts some zones in comparative disadvantage.
The zoning formula should be entrenched in the revised Constitution, not by political party arrangement.
If, on the other hand, the incumbent President, a Southerner from the South South Zone is re-elected in 2011, he should as well serve only one term and ensure that the Presidency rotates to the South East Zone in 2015.
The present zoning system between North and South applied by the ruling party should be abolished and a proper rotational system based on rotation of the Presidency among the six geopolitical zones should be entrenched in the Constitution in order to guarantee each zone the right to produce the Presidency.
Should a President die in office or resign his office and the Vice President serves out his remaining tenure, the next President should automatically be chosen from another zone in order to avoid the confusion we had in the present situation which could provoke political tension.
However, the choice of a Vice President should be based on the old regional basis of North, West and East so that the President from the North would be obliged to choose his running mate from either the East or the West and vice versa in order to reflect the Federal character.
Secondly, assure the creation of one state in the South East Zone to redress imbalance and marginalization.
SEZ is the only zone with five states while others have at least six states each.
Thirdly, infrastructures i.
Speedy construction of 2nd Onitsha Bridge.
The existing one is very old, weak and overstretched.
ii.
Actualisation of planned Onitsha Sea/River Port and completion of the dredging of River Niger.
Onitsha was chosen for Dry Port many years ago.
iii.
Railway link from Enugu-Onitsha-Lagos to achieve nationwide rail network.
iv.
Upgrading Enugu Airport as the only international airport in the South East Zone v.
Establishment of a new major employment creation industry such as Flat Sheet Iron Industry or Oil and Gas Refinery in the South East Zone vi.
Commencement of exploitation of known oil and gas reserved in South East Zone vii.
Revitalization of Anamco or establishment of a new motor assembly plant Health viii.
As national policy, upgrade and equip one University Teaching Hospital in the Zone same as in other zones to be highly specialized reference hospitals such as National Hospital, Abuja.
Power ix.
Revamp coal industry in Enugu x.
Revamp Oji Power Station which uses coal xi.
Restructure and equip Afam Gas Power Station.
Roads xii.
Ensure speedy and high quality completion of on-going inter-state dual carriage highways, and link South East Zone to Abuja via Otuocha uncompleted bridge/highway.
NATIONWIDE ISSUES Education: Education is the engine of economic growth in any nation, with Science and Technology as the vital fuel to drive the engine.
Therefore; xiii.
Take over all states universities as federal plan to create 36 new Federal Universities and compensate the states which can use the money to modernize and re-equip their Polytechnics and Colleges of Education to International standard.
This can be done as it is now obvious that states are not financially and technically capable to operate high quality university education.
Only states and private sectors that meet the high standard would be allowed to operate universities under close supervision by a reinvigorated and uncompromising National Universities Commission.
To meet immediate shortfall in University education, existing Federal Universities should establish at least one off-campus each.
Funding: Mostly from Excess Crude Account which should be reserved exclusively for such infrastructural development and higher education all over the Federation to supplement other budgetary provisions and international loans or grants 4-Year Rolling National Economic Plan: Draw up a 4-Year Economic Rolling Plan to be rolled over to the next term of Presidency It may not be possible to execute all the above as in other zones within one tenure but solid foundation could be laid for the eventual completion of such projects during the next tenure of Presidency.
The projects along with other socio-economic developments in other zones should be embodied in a 4-year Economic Rolling Plan that would be carried over and sustained in the next 4-year Economic Development Plan Political matters Set in motion, comprehensive Constitutional Review to entrench zoning such that Presidency shall rotate among the six geo-political zones with single term of 4 - 5 years.
Same for State Governorship.
Devolution of powers to States or Zonal Administration should be done.
Revised constitution to be adopted by a national referendum not by the parliament.
Evolve a 4-year Revenue Sharing Formula based on greater share and responsibility devolved to states or zones.
Prune down the scandalous emoluments and fringe benefits of political office holders in line with national income and public and private sectors.
The National Revenue, Mobilisation & Fiscal Commission should be revitalized and made to be more patriotic, fearless and more objective in exercising their constitutional responsibility.
Increase Capital Budget Federal budget should redress the unwholesome imbalance between Recurrent/Overhead votes (now over 70%) and Capital Vote which is very low at less than 30%.
Pursue relentlessly, transparency and accountability in Government and strengthen EFCC to prosecute without fear or favour, all pending corruption cases.
Nationwide Increase power supply to 10, 000 MW within a 4-year development plan with extensive use of gas turbines to tap abundant natural gas.
America, a world leading economy uses over 70% fossils (gas & coal) but only 8% nuclear plant for power generation.
Site gas turbines close to sources of gas to ensure uninterrupted gas supply and thereby reducing considerably, the incessant power outages caused by gas pipeline vandalisation.
Land Use Act Revise Land Use Act to give easier land access to entrepreneurs for agric and industrial development.
Remove bottlenecks in granting licenses for industrial and agric projects and liberal forex and immigration access for genuine foreign entrepreneurs.
Agriculture Encourage mechanized agriculture towards mass production of cash and food crops to make Nigeria self-sufficient in stable food.
Mechanized agriculture will ensure food security and create mass employment as the large army of unemployed youths will be attracted to modernized agriculture.
Privatization To be restructured to lay more emphasis on Government/Private Partnership as well as application of BOT or Joint Venture arrangements.
Oil and Gas Faithfully implement oil and gas reforms as in Petroleum Industry Bill to block leakages of huge foreign exchange, losses and delays in oil and gas exploitation and exploration.
NNPC to be more accountable and transparent in its operation and revenue earned from oil and gas.
Oil bloc contracts or concessions should be more transparent and equitable.
Niger Delta Crisis Pursue relentlessly, the Amnesty Program and speed up development of the Niger Delta area thereby creating gainful employment for militants and other youths of the area.
The issue of marginalization caused by inequitable revenue and power sharing should be made a national issue to be resolved in an National Conference or Constitutional Review.
Observation Position papers can be produced by experts for all the issues raised in this manifesto 30th August 2010 Copyright reserved.
Thereafter, the Presidency should rotate to the next zone that has not had a chance i.
e.
South East Zone.
This is because rotation should be applied on zonal basis and not on North and South basis, which puts some zones in comparative disadvantage.
The zoning formula should be entrenched in the revised Constitution, not by political party arrangement.
If, on the other hand, the incumbent President, a Southerner from the South South Zone is re-elected in 2011, he should as well serve only one term and ensure that the Presidency rotates to the South East Zone in 2015.
The present zoning system between North and South applied by the ruling party should be abolished and a proper rotational system based on rotation of the Presidency among the six geopolitical zones should be entrenched in the Constitution in order to guarantee each zone the right to produce the Presidency.
Should a President die in office or resign his office and the Vice President serves out his remaining tenure, the next President should automatically be chosen from another zone in order to avoid the confusion we had in the present situation which could provoke political tension.
However, the choice of a Vice President should be based on the old regional basis of North, West and East so that the President from the North would be obliged to choose his running mate from either the East or the West and vice versa in order to reflect the Federal character.
Secondly, assure the creation of one state in the South East Zone to redress imbalance and marginalization.
SEZ is the only zone with five states while others have at least six states each.
Thirdly, infrastructures i.
Speedy construction of 2nd Onitsha Bridge.
The existing one is very old, weak and overstretched.
ii.
Actualisation of planned Onitsha Sea/River Port and completion of the dredging of River Niger.
Onitsha was chosen for Dry Port many years ago.
iii.
Railway link from Enugu-Onitsha-Lagos to achieve nationwide rail network.
iv.
Upgrading Enugu Airport as the only international airport in the South East Zone v.
Establishment of a new major employment creation industry such as Flat Sheet Iron Industry or Oil and Gas Refinery in the South East Zone vi.
Commencement of exploitation of known oil and gas reserved in South East Zone vii.
Revitalization of Anamco or establishment of a new motor assembly plant Health viii.
As national policy, upgrade and equip one University Teaching Hospital in the Zone same as in other zones to be highly specialized reference hospitals such as National Hospital, Abuja.
Power ix.
Revamp coal industry in Enugu x.
Revamp Oji Power Station which uses coal xi.
Restructure and equip Afam Gas Power Station.
Roads xii.
Ensure speedy and high quality completion of on-going inter-state dual carriage highways, and link South East Zone to Abuja via Otuocha uncompleted bridge/highway.
NATIONWIDE ISSUES Education: Education is the engine of economic growth in any nation, with Science and Technology as the vital fuel to drive the engine.
Therefore; xiii.
Take over all states universities as federal plan to create 36 new Federal Universities and compensate the states which can use the money to modernize and re-equip their Polytechnics and Colleges of Education to International standard.
This can be done as it is now obvious that states are not financially and technically capable to operate high quality university education.
Only states and private sectors that meet the high standard would be allowed to operate universities under close supervision by a reinvigorated and uncompromising National Universities Commission.
To meet immediate shortfall in University education, existing Federal Universities should establish at least one off-campus each.
Funding: Mostly from Excess Crude Account which should be reserved exclusively for such infrastructural development and higher education all over the Federation to supplement other budgetary provisions and international loans or grants 4-Year Rolling National Economic Plan: Draw up a 4-Year Economic Rolling Plan to be rolled over to the next term of Presidency It may not be possible to execute all the above as in other zones within one tenure but solid foundation could be laid for the eventual completion of such projects during the next tenure of Presidency.
The projects along with other socio-economic developments in other zones should be embodied in a 4-year Economic Rolling Plan that would be carried over and sustained in the next 4-year Economic Development Plan Political matters Set in motion, comprehensive Constitutional Review to entrench zoning such that Presidency shall rotate among the six geo-political zones with single term of 4 - 5 years.
Same for State Governorship.
Devolution of powers to States or Zonal Administration should be done.
Revised constitution to be adopted by a national referendum not by the parliament.
Evolve a 4-year Revenue Sharing Formula based on greater share and responsibility devolved to states or zones.
Prune down the scandalous emoluments and fringe benefits of political office holders in line with national income and public and private sectors.
The National Revenue, Mobilisation & Fiscal Commission should be revitalized and made to be more patriotic, fearless and more objective in exercising their constitutional responsibility.
Increase Capital Budget Federal budget should redress the unwholesome imbalance between Recurrent/Overhead votes (now over 70%) and Capital Vote which is very low at less than 30%.
Pursue relentlessly, transparency and accountability in Government and strengthen EFCC to prosecute without fear or favour, all pending corruption cases.
Nationwide Increase power supply to 10, 000 MW within a 4-year development plan with extensive use of gas turbines to tap abundant natural gas.
America, a world leading economy uses over 70% fossils (gas & coal) but only 8% nuclear plant for power generation.
Site gas turbines close to sources of gas to ensure uninterrupted gas supply and thereby reducing considerably, the incessant power outages caused by gas pipeline vandalisation.
Land Use Act Revise Land Use Act to give easier land access to entrepreneurs for agric and industrial development.
Remove bottlenecks in granting licenses for industrial and agric projects and liberal forex and immigration access for genuine foreign entrepreneurs.
Agriculture Encourage mechanized agriculture towards mass production of cash and food crops to make Nigeria self-sufficient in stable food.
Mechanized agriculture will ensure food security and create mass employment as the large army of unemployed youths will be attracted to modernized agriculture.
Privatization To be restructured to lay more emphasis on Government/Private Partnership as well as application of BOT or Joint Venture arrangements.
Oil and Gas Faithfully implement oil and gas reforms as in Petroleum Industry Bill to block leakages of huge foreign exchange, losses and delays in oil and gas exploitation and exploration.
NNPC to be more accountable and transparent in its operation and revenue earned from oil and gas.
Oil bloc contracts or concessions should be more transparent and equitable.
Niger Delta Crisis Pursue relentlessly, the Amnesty Program and speed up development of the Niger Delta area thereby creating gainful employment for militants and other youths of the area.
The issue of marginalization caused by inequitable revenue and power sharing should be made a national issue to be resolved in an National Conference or Constitutional Review.
Observation Position papers can be produced by experts for all the issues raised in this manifesto 30th August 2010 Copyright reserved.
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