By NAOMI SHARANG

Former Gov. of Bayelsa and leader of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Seriake Dickson, has declared that multiparty democracy must survive in Nigeria.

Dickson made the declaration at the NDC National Convention in Abuja, where the party also resolved to zone its 2027 presidential ticket to Southern Nigeria.

The former Bayelsa governor insisted that the country needed both a strong ruling party and a vibrant opposition.

According to him, Nigeria cannot be allowed to drift into a one-party state, stressing that democracy thrives when there are credible opposition parties capable of providing alternatives to governance.

“Multiparty democracy must survive in Nigeria. Nigeria needs a strong party in government as well as strong parties in opposition,” he said.

The former governor said the NDC, though barely three months old, had recorded unprecedented acceptance and enthusiasm across the country.

Dickson said: “A few months ago, they ignored the NDC. They laughed at the NDC. But today, they can no longer ignore us”.

He explained that efforts to register the party began in 2017 after concerns that the ideals and foundations of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) had weakened.

The leader said the party eventually secured a favourable court judgment, leading to its registration by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in February.

According to him, there is no pending litigation against the NDC and no internal crisis threatening the party.

“The NDC has come to stay. The NDC is good to go. The NDC has no faction, no crisis and no dispute,” he said.

Dickson commended Nigerians, especially members of the Obedient Movement, for resisting what he described as propaganda, intimidation and blackmail against the party.

He said political leaders from all parts of the country had embraced the NDC vision of national unity, inclusion and democratic renewal.

The former governor said the political landscape in Nigeria would never remain the same again.

The senator added that the party would take its message of change to every ward, polling unit, local government and state in the federation.

He described the NDC as a credible and viable opposition platform open to all Nigerians.

Dickson also announced that the party had adopted a historic resolution zoning its presidential ticket to Southern Nigeria in the interest of fairness, balance and national stability.

“Today, we have taken a historic resolution zoning the next presidential ticket of our party to the southern part of Nigeria because we want a balanced and stable Nigeria founded on justice, inclusion and equal citizenship,” he said.

He added that the NDC was determined to build an ideological political party similar to South Africa’s African National Congress (ANC), rather than a “transactional party” driven by election-season arrangements.

Similarly, former presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Peter Obi, said that Nigeria must not be allowed to become a one-party state.

He insisted that the country must remain democratic with credible electoral processes.

Obi, who recently joined the NDC, said Nigeria’s democracy must be protected to ensure fairness, justice and equal political participation for all parties.

“We must insist that Nigeria cannot become a one-party state. Nigeria must remain a democracy, and we are determined that in 2027, we will have free, fair and credible elections,” Obi said.

He said the NDC was committed to rebuilding the country and restoring hope among Nigerians through good governance, justice and national unity.

He also stressed the need to tackle poverty, unemployment and insecurity across the country, describing them as major challenges facing Nigerians.

The former Anambra governor maintained that Nigeria had the potential to prosper but required responsible leadership and accountable governance to achieve national development.

He urged Nigerians to support efforts aimed at building a better and more inclusive nation ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Obi pledged that the NDC would work toward building a prosperous and productive nation by shifting the economy from consumption to production. (NAN)

Unity schools alumni raise concerns over proposed land concession

By GLORY AKPAN

The Unity Schools Old Students Association (USOSA) has raised concerns over the planned concession of lands belonging to some unity schools.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the members of the association, drawn from over 60 unity schools across the country, expressed their concerns during an awareness walk and rally on Saturday in Lagos.

The members, some carrying placards with captions including, “PPP: Save the Future” and “Schools are not for Real Estate”, urged the Federal Government to engage alumni associations in funding and developing the institutions.

Speaking at the rally, Humphrey Nwafor, Lagos Chapter President of the Federal Government College, Kano Old Students Association, said the alumni support Public-Private Partnerships (PPP) but oppose the sale of educational assets.

Nwafor said 33 hectares of land belonging to FGC Kano was concessioned without adequate consultation with stakeholders.

“We are saying there is a better option. Instead of selling our lands and assets, we would rather fund the schools ourselves.

“If the government says it does not have enough money to run the schools, the old students can provide support without taking one inch of land,” he said.

According to him, the concession arrangement involving the school’s land will undermine the future of unity schools established to promote national integration.

“These schools are building the unity of this country.

“They were established to unite Nigerians from different ethnic and religious backgrounds.

“We are appealing to President Bola Tinubu to intervene and ensure that public educational assets are protected,” Nwafor said.

Also speaking, the President-General of USOSA, Jos, Michael Magaji, said unity schools are nation-building institutions that have produced leaders across various sectors.

According to Magaji, alumni associations have long contributed to school infrastructure and educational support.

He called on the Federal Government to leverage alumni networks in addressing funding challenges confronting unity schools.

“We are in solution mode and impact mode.

“We believe alumni associations should be integrated into the process of repositioning these schools.

“We recently met with officials of the Federal Ministry of Education and discussions are ongoing toward finding mutually beneficial solutions,” he said.

Magaji said the association was advocating a sustainable funding model that would preserve educational assets while improving infrastructure, manpower and learning conditions.

Similarly, Mr Alex Akindumila, President of FGC Idoani Alumni Association, said the concession controversy was a national test of how public assets and educational institutions were being managed.

Akindumila warned that reducing lands allocated to unity schools could limit future expansion, agricultural projects, sports facilities, technical workshops and staff accommodation.

“The lands allocated to unity schools were deliberate and visionary.

“They were designed to ensure that the schools remain self-sustaining and adaptable to future needs,” he said.

He added that the schools remained central to Nigeria’s unity and development agenda.

Also, Mrs Ifeoma Okeke, an alumna of FGC Ileja, called for transparency, due process and stakeholder engagement in any PPP arrangement involving educational institutions.

She said PPP agreements should align with the public purpose of the schools and not diminish their long-term capacity.

“There must be transparency, competitiveness and proper stakeholder engagement in any concession process involving public educational assets,” she said.

Mr John Duru, another alumnus of FGC Kano, said alumni associations represented a major but underutilised resource in supporting education in Nigeria.

Duru said alumni bodies across unity schools possessed the financial and professional capacity to support infrastructure, curriculum development and innovation without disposing of school lands.

“This is about more than land. It’s about legacy.

“It’s about whether institutions built with foresight and sacrifice will be preserved with the same care that were built and preserved.

“We are not against development or partnership but we are against exclusion and erosion of public educational assets,” he said.

Samuel Valentine, an alumnus of FGC Port Harcourt, said the rally was held to support FGC Kano and protest the government’s planned concession of the school’s land. (NAN)