ObunikeNational Chairman, African Democratic Congress (ADC)
On the Urgent Need to Engage Nigerians Directly on the Proposed Policy Thrust of the ADC
Your Excellency,
I write as a Nigerian from the South-East and as National Coordinator of the South East Patriots (SEP) with a clear and urgent appeal: the ADC must begin to engage Nigerians directly—clearly, consistently, and courageously—on the concrete policy direction it offers the nation.
Nigeria’s greatest crisis today is not merely economic hardship or insecurity; it is a collapse of trust. Citizens increasingly believe that politics is about survival of the powerful rather than service to the people; that elections are contests of machinery rather than consent; and that national decisions are driven by desperation rather than vision. In such an environment, political parties cannot rely on coalitions, endorsements, or ticket allocations. They must earn trust by declaring a coherent national agenda and submitting it to public scrutiny.
Your Excellency, Nigerians remember your era in the National Assembly. Under your leadership, the Senate—whatever its imperfections—commanded respect as an institution. That record, combined with your discipline and national reach, places on you a rare responsibility. This may be the last great opportunity to build a legacy that outlives elections and secures the future for generations unborn.
Legacy, however, is not built in private meetings. It is built when a leader steps forward to say, in plain terms: “This is what we stand for; this is what we will do; this is how we will do it; and this is how Nigerians will hold us accountable.”
That engagement must begin now—starting with the following issues.
1. Gas Supply and Industrial Revival in the South-East
The South-East is among Nigeria’s most entrepreneurial regions, yet our industries are forced to run on diesel and improvisation. It is indefensible that a region capable of anchoring Nigeria’s manufacturing renaissance remains structurally cut off from affordable gas.
Nigerians—especially in the South-East—need to know where the ADC stands on:
Gas supply circulation and distribution across the South-East, including the Aba industrial corridor and onward expansion to Onitsha, Nnewi, Enugu, Abakaliki, and Owerri; and
A deliberate regional gas infrastructure policy—through public-private partnership, incentives, and enforceable milestones—to ensure our industries compete nationally and globally.
This is not a regional favour; it is a national productivity imperative.
2. Decongesting Lagos Ports by Securing International Waters for Eastern Ports
Nigeria’s logistics paralysis is not accidental. Lagos is congested because we refused to build a balanced maritime architecture. Ports in the old Eastern states historically served as gateways to trade, but insecurity—on land and sea—has crippled confidence.
The ADC must state clearly its position on:
Decongesting Lagos ports by restoring the viability of Eastern ports; and
Securing international waters and maritime approaches so shipping lines, insurers, and investors can treat Eastern ports as safe, predictable, and profitable.
A serious national economy cannot insist that everything must pass through Lagos.
3. Dredging the River Niger: Building on an Economy That Already Exists
This proposal is not theoretical.
As of today, commercial transactions are already taking place along the River Niger corridor. From Idah through smaller riverine communities down to Onitsha, rural women paddle canoes and small boats laden with yams and other farm produce, trading across state lines with nothing but determination and survival instinct.
This is commerce without policy.
This is trade without protection.
This is productivity without infrastructure.
What these women demonstrate daily is that the economic logic of the River Niger corridor is already proven. What is missing is deliberate government intervention to make transportation safer, faster, and more predictable.
All that is required now is for government to:
Adequately dredge the River Niger to allow smooth passage of small commercial vessels;
Provide basic navigation aids, river policing, and safety oversight;
Establish simple river terminals and loading points along the corridor; and
Integrate inland waterways into a national logistics and trade policy.
With these targeted interventions, the movement of goods from Onitsha to Lokoja and onward to Makurdi can be scaled significantly, creating massive employment while reducing pressure on roads and cutting logistics costs.
The women already paddling yams from Idah to Onitsha have shown the way. Government must now match their courage with policy, infrastructure, and protection.
4. Completing the Port Harcourt–Maiduguri Rail Line through Aba and Enugu
A nation is united by infrastructure, not slogans. The rail connection from Port Harcourt to Maiduguri through Aba and Enugu is a national integration project that would unlock commerce, reduce transport costs, and spark new markets across multiple corridors.
The ADC must state unequivocally:
Whether it will prioritise the completion and functional operation of this rail corridor; and
The funding model and timelines Nigerians should expect.
5. Constitutional Reform: Addressing the Root of Political Dysfunction
(i) Constitutional Rotation of the Presidency
ADC must clarify whether it will champion constitutional rotation among the six geopolitical zones, ensuring predictability and reducing ethnic weaponisation of campaigns.
(ii) Single, Non-Renewable Presidential Tenure of Six Years
Much of Nigeria’s impunity is driven by re-election desperation. ADC should state whether it will champion a single six-year term to restore focus to service.
6. Restructuring: Nigerians Need Clarity, Not Poetry
Restructuring must be defined—devolution of powers, state policing, fiscal federalism, and local governance reform. Nigerians deserve clear commitments and a roadmap.
7. Electoral Reform: What Does It Mean for Votes to Count?
ADC must speak plainly on transparent result management, sanctions for manipulation, and institutional independence. A party promising rescue must first secure democracy itself.
Building a Party Nigerians Can Trust
Party supremacy must be real—internal democracy, strong institutions, and the rejection of personality cults. Nigerians must see that the ADC belongs to the people, not to individuals.
How to Engage Nigerians: Not Studios—States
Your Excellency, this engagement need not begin in television studios. It should begin with state visits, party secretariats, and direct policy statements on camera, amplified by the party’s media organs.
A South-East Appeal and a National Plea
As members of the South East Patriots (SEP), we recall your disciplined leadership of the Senate and your partnership with H.E. Senator Ike Ekweremadu in strengthening legislative governance.
Nigeria is in the woods. Many now look to the ADC for rescue. Rescue begins with truth, clarity, and trust.
Please lead from the front. Tell Nigerians what the ADC stands for—specifically, boldly, and consistently.
Obunike Ohaegbu
National Coordinator, South East Patriots (SEP)
Ezesinachi Ukpor
Obunike Ohaegbu writes from his village in Anambra State.
