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From Ndubuisi Orji, Abuja
National Chairman of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Senator David Mark, has said the party’s commitment to rescue the country is not political rhetoric.
Mark, who stated this at the presentation of the interim report of the party’s policy and manifesto committee, yesterday, in Abuja, said the foundational philosophy of the opposition party was based on the ideology that it is the duty of Nigeria to provide leadership to Africa and the black race. He noted that the party has the conviction that the country could only fulfill this role by investing in the development and empowerment of her people.
He expressed satisfaction that the Policy and Manifesto Committee, which is chaired by former Edo State Governor, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, has handled its assignment seriously.
According to him, the report contained a framework of principles and policies, which are geared towards addressing the structural roots of the country’s most pressing challenges.
Mark said: “Let me give a few examples. One of the persistent weaknesses in Nigeria’s economic reform history is that reforms are often introduced abruptly, without sufficient sequencing and without adequate protection for the most vulnerable citizens.
“To address this, the Policy and Manifesto Committee has proposed the principle of gradual and sequenced reform with social cushioning. This principle recognises that reform must be responsible and humane. Necessary adjustments must be implemented carefully, with clear sequencing and strong protection for vulnerable populations so that economic reform strengthens the country without placing unbearable hardship on its people.
“Another principle that stands out for me is that survival income must not be taxed. This reflects a fundamental moral truth. A nation where citizens are providing their own electricity, security and other amenities cannot build prosperity by taxing those who are struggling merely to survive. “A fair tax system must protect everyday Nigerians by ensuring that the burden of adjustment is carried by those with the greatest capacity to contribute. The Committee has also proposed the principle of a legal guarantee of social protection, through a Social Protection Act that will protect safety-net programmes from political disruption and ensure continuity across administrations.
This is important because social protection should not depend on political cycles. It must be institutionalised.”
Mark explained that on the issue of security, the committee identified a weakness in the current system, stating that “too often, especially around the issues of kidnapping and banditry, arrests are made, but justice does not follow swiftly enough to create deterrence.
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“To address this, the Committee has proposed the principle that swift and credible justice outcomes must serve as a deterrence mechanism. This is why in their full report, they have recommended that an ADC government will designate kidnapping and banditry as terrorism, which will receive the harshest possible punishment under the law.”
The ADC chairman noted that the manifesto would serve as a guide for public officials, who will be elected on its platform, stating that the party would not leave it to the discretion of any of its elected officials to decide what to do with power.
“By the time we approach the 2027 elections, the ADC must stand before the Nigerian people with clarity, with credible solutions and with a practical pathway to national renewal.
“Permit me to reiterate that we are not developing this manifesto as just another political requirement or rhetoric. Instead, this would be the grundnorm from which all our elected officials at any level will derive their operating and governance principles.
“As I have repeatedly maintained, the ADC will not leave it to the discretion of any of its elected officials to decide what to do with power. Therefore, I encourage all those who seek to contest elections on the platform of the ADC to show keen interest in the work of this committee.”
Oyegun, while speaking at the event, stated that the manifesto is not just a promise, but to show Nigerians how the ADC intends to govern the country if elected.
According to him, “the challenges facing the country are serious. They are economic hardship, insecurity, institutional fragility and declining public trust. But these challenges also create an opportunity for leadership, clarity and bold policy thinking.
“The progress reflected in this Interim Report demonstrates that the African Democratic Congress is serious about governance. Serious about policy. Serious about Nigeria.”
The former governor added that, “Nigeria deserves leadership that prepares before it governs. Leadership that thinks before it acts. Leadership that builds institutions that work. That is the responsibility before us.”
