2027: Coalition rolls out structure for campaign on independent INEC, judiciary

The National coordinating council of Save Democracy Mega Alliance 2027 (SDMA’27) has rolled out its campaign structure for the nationwide mobilization of stakeholders, masses and international organizations in pursuit of constitutional amendment.

The structure is expected to interface with federal, state governments and other stakeholders to actualize its two-face flagship advocacy on the independence of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the judiciary to deepen the country’s democracy.

Spokesperson of the movement, Comrade Tony Akeni Le Moin, who is also one of the conveners of the campaign, told Journalists in Abuja that the structure shall also oversee all facets of the movement’s activities to engage the National and State Houses of Assembly across the country.

Last week, SDMA sought to amend the Constitution for a comprehensive and total independence of INEC and the judicial arm of government aimed at preventing the president and state governors from appoint heads and officials of the institutions.

According to Comrade Akeni, SDMA’s think-thank had consulted widely within and beyond the borders of Nigeria in order to come up with what he described as a “staunch global governing structure that will stand the expected challenges which a struggle of this nature and magnitude will face from the powers that be and the hostile status quo which benefits from and upholds those powers.”

Reeling out the structure, Akeni disclosed that at the apex of the SDMA’27 coalition is its National Council which comprises six National Conveners, six Zonal Co-Conveners representing the six geopolitical zones of the federation and seven Special Diaspora Coordinators who, according to the spokesman, “shall be stomping five continents of the globe mobilizing international support for INEC and judiciary to maintain their independence .”

He explained that the Special Diaspora Coordinators who shall also be called “SDMA International Parliamentary Lobby Group (SIPALG), amongst other functions, shall lobby the support of foreign parliaments, governments of Western democracies, international development partners of Nigeria, United Nations, EU and other regional economic blocs to support the electoral amendment and democratic reform campaigns in Nigeria.

Akeni also stated that official slots as special coordinators and advisers shall be reserved for all political parties, including persons of certified democratic credentials and integrity from the ruling APC, as well as others outside government. “This is why SDMA’27 shall not disclose some names of our already active campaign actors till such time as it shall be strategically imperative for full unveiling,” Akeni explained.

SDMA’27 shall also have state and local government grassroots coordinating councils. Each state chapter of SDMA, the spokesman revealed, shall be headed by a State Coordinator.

He disclosed that the state chapter shall have seven principal committees comprising the Committee on Legal Matters and Law Enforcement Agencies Relations, Committee on Traditional Rulers and Faith Bodies and the Committee on Inter-party Relations, Labour, Civil Society and Student Organizations.