Premium Times Columnists, Adesanmi, Ndibe, Ariyomo others convene grassroots movement

Aimed at reversing mass disinterest in government and the political process, a group of social critics and activists have initiated a project called “Kickout Siddon Look 2015” meant to sensitise Nigerians to actively participate in electing a credible president in the next election.

In a statement Monday, the group stated that Nigerian could no longer afford to be mere spectators while the country is bled to death by corrupt politicians.

“Nigeria’s seemingly never ending vicious cycle of political crises, corruption, and abject poverty has rendered her citizens “shuffering” and “shmiling” spectators, while a plundering cadre of oligarchs appropriate the people’s national resources for themselves,” the statement said. “With silent acquiescence, we have traded the jackboot of military despotism for the mal-governance of a faux democracy. We have sat with folded arms and allowed a cabal of looters, united in chicanery, to divide us along ethnic and religious lines. While we kill each other over tribal and religious differences, those who induce division are laughing all the way to the bank.”

“It is high time that we, the people, became drivers of our national progress and masters of our destiny. It is time we stopped being spectators whilst hoping for pittances from the table of our politicians.”

The project, which is being championed by prominent social commentators and activists such as popular columnists, Tunde Fagbenle, Okey Ndibie and Pius Adesanmi, hope to “mobilise grassroots support for a capable leader to emerge as president and commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces in 2015.”

The group said the kind of person it sought must have “the right level of education, experience, exposure and integrity, as well as a proven history of standing on the side of the people.”

The group believes the way to correct the anomalies in the country’s polity is “by addressing the issue of leadership at the highest level.”

In order to achieve its goals, the group will use “Kickout Siddon Look 2015” to “sensitize the masses ahead of the 2015 presidential election to the critical need to coalesce behind a new type of leader capable of improving the standard of living and the quality of life of the Nigerian people and laying a solid foundation for the future of the nation.”

It also plans to point out the flaws in the constitution that are making good governance impossible in the country. It further plans to mobilise Nigerians to support a candidate that best represents the profile of the kind of leader it seeks.

Through the “Kickout Siddon Look 2015” project, the group will educate Nigerians to elect a leader that has the masses at hear and one with a “proven track record of achievement and, also importantly, scores high on the 3 Es and I (namely Education, Exposure, Experience and Integrity).”

Its promoters employ Nigerians to join its facebook page on http://www.facebook.com/pages/Kickout-Siddon-Look/385728024858747 and to send enquiries to its email address  kickoutsiddonlook@gmail.com.

Other promoters of the group are Tunji Ariyomo, Modupe Debbie Ariyo,  Soni Akoji, Ndubuisi Victor Ogwuda, Safiyah Musa, Kingsley Ewetuya, Anozie Ebirim and Yommi Oni.

Read full statement below:

Date: 25^th February 2013

PRESS STATEMENT FROM ‘KICKOUT SIDDON LOOK 2015’

If one takes the liberty to paraphrase the great Wole Soyinka, it is safe to conclude that ‘the man dies in anyone who keeps silent when his people are being plundered’ while Thomas Paine, at a time when America’s prospect for freedom was grim, said: “these are the times that try men’s souls. The summer soldier and the sunshine patriot will, in this crisis, shrink from the service of his country; but he that stands by it now, deserves the love and thanks of man and woman.” Nigeria’s seemingly never ending vicious cycle of political crises, corruption, and abject poverty has rendered her citizens “shuffering” and “shmiling” spectators, while a plundering cadre of oligarchs appropriate the people’s national resources for themselves. With silent acquiescence, we have traded the jackboot of military despotism for the mal-governance of a faux democracy. We have sat with folded arms and allowed a cabal of looters, united in chicanery, to divide us along ethnic and religious lines. While we kill each other over tribal and religious differences, those who induce division are laughing all the way to the bank. This, fellow Nigerians, is what our “Spectocracy” has wrought and it is time we put a stop to it. It is high time that we, the people, became drivers of our national progress and masters of our destiny. It is time we stopped being spectators whilst hoping for pittances from the table of our politicians.

Therefore, we convened the “KickOut Siddon Look 2015” group as a political movement devoted to mobilizing grassroots support for a capable leader to emerge as President and Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces in 2015. This will be a leader with the right level of Education, Experience, Exposure and Integrity, as well as a proven history of standing on the side of the people. The primary goal of repositioning the nation, by frontally addressing the core issue of leadership deficit at the topmost level of decision making in Nigeria, is the main driver for birthing this political movement.

Beyond the 2015 project, KickOut Siddon Look will continue to function as a  mass movement of action for the entrenchment of meritocracy in the society, as well as serve as a platform dedicated to educating, coordinating and galvanizing the people towards civic actions targeted at strengthening democracy and institutionalizing a merit-based democratic process.

Our primary objectives are as follows:

1. Sensitize the masses ahead of the 2015 presidential election to the critical need to coalesce behind a new type of leader capable of improving the standard of living and the quality of life of the Nigerian people and laying a solid foundation for the future of the nation;
2. Sensitize Nigerians to the deliberate landmines planted in the nation’s constitutional framework and ancillary laws that have made the attainment of good governance and true democracy near impossible tasks;
3. Sensitize Nigerians to the need (and their right) to be more engaged in the political processes, not as an audience, but as the most important stakeholders whose decisions must count at the time when flag-bearers are being selected to the time when they would be subjected to public votes on election day;
4. Mobilize our brothers and sisters, our parents and friends across ethnic, social and political lines to accept, and support, a candidate that fits the earlier stated profile as the new leader of the government of Nigeria; and
5. Educate, and empower, our people – ahead of the 2015 general elections – to make a choice between having the choice(s) of selfish individuals imposed on them and ratified by a few of us in sham elections AND support for a candidate who has a history of standing on the side of the masses, has a proven track record of achievement and, also importantly, scores high on the 3 Es and I (namely Education, Exposure, Experience and Integrity).

Fellow Nigerians, we seek compatriots who share these goals – who believe in the right of our people to take charge of their political destiny. We seek such men and women, young or old, educated or not educated, to join us and team up with us as we embark on this task. Please visit us on facebook http://www.facebook.com/pages/Kickout-Siddon-Look/385728024858747, follow us on twitter @siddonlook2015 and email us via kickoutsiddonlook@gmail.com. The time for “siddon look” is over. Stand up for your love of country and let us work to make Nigeria great again.

Signed:

Tunde Fagbenle

Pius Adesanmi

Okey Ndibe

Tunji Ariyomo

Modupe Debbie Ariyo, OBE

Soni Akoji

Ndubuisi Victor Ogwuda

Safiyah Musa

Kingsley Ewetuya

Anozie Ebirim

Yommi Oni