By Lucky Isibor
A political pressure group, Fix NASS 2027 has flagged off its voter awareness enlightenment, aspirants registration drive and empowerment of potential elective political office seekers ahead the 2027 general elections under the aegis of Youth Off The Street Initiative (YOTS) and 40 Million Ballots, with a view to challenging the present crop of members of the National and State Houses of Assembly.
Speaking during the launch which saw the employment of a political a House of Assembly aspirant from Ondo State, Joseph Ibukun, Coordinator of the group, Comrade Kennedy Iyare emphasised the importance of the National Assembly in bringing the plight of Nigerians to the attention of the president, just as the members of the various Houses of Assembly in the states are supposed to be on the neck of the Governors on how to alleviate the plight of their constituents. He regretted that members of the legislature are not responsive to the needs of their people, hence the group is organising the “Fix The National Assembly” “Fix NASS 2027” movement to ensure that only credible persons who have the welfare of their people as their cardinal programme will win elections.
While stating that the “Fix NASS 2027” movement is not adopting any particular political party to sponsor its candidates, Comrade Iyere however dismissed the opposition ADC as a hoax and a congregation of elements that brought the country to its kneel.
Iyere berated members of the National Assembly who rejected the real time electronic transfer of election results, pointing out that they don’t believe in the sanctity of the ballot, adding that the 2027 election is a referendum on the various leadership strata, adding that the “Fix NASS 2027” movement is a political tsunami ahead the 2027 general elections.
“Nigeria has gone past that stage where few people try to resolve the issues. This is now a movement.
What you saw with the Obedient Movement, I was the precursor of that movement, the spirit, body and soul of that movement. That was a child’s play, you see what we are having now is a tornado, a volcano and a tsunami combined.
“Nigerians will take the ownership of the ballot box and make sure that the sanctity of it is not taken for granted or compromised,” Comrade Iyere said.
On how the group will make their objectives of ensuring that their candidates ambition come to life in the 2027 election, Iyere said: “We just gave Joshua Ibukun two Naira million. You saw when I gave the N2 million, and I’m still going to give him N10 million. I am telling you, he’s going to win his constituency. You know, in 2027, those who rejected electronic transmission do not believe in elections and I agree with them. In 2027, we’re not going to have an election, you know what we’re going to have? A Refrendum.
“The people, the masses, have been impoverished against the elites and the bureaucrats. A referendum to choose whether we stay. Only one way out. Make the election credible, or we stay. Anything that falls short of that, puts us on the street. It will become an inconclusive process.”
While berating those who formed the opposition African Democratic Party ADC, Iyere said they lack what it takes to steer Nigeria out of the myriad of challenges confronting the people now as according to him they’ve been an integral part of those who created the problems.
“The ADC coalition is a hoax. Do you know what a hoax is? It’s an illusion. Look at the people who came together to form that coalition. David Monk was a Senator for 20 years and was a Senate President for 8 years.
He holds the record as the longest-serving Senate President we ever had in Nigeria. No reform under him. That is why it’s an irony, it’s a paradox that now he’s saying electronic transmission of results. You were there. It was during his tenure the Justice Uwais report came up and made recommendations. What did he do? He was eating our money and swept it under the carpet.”
Also speaking, a member of the “Fix NASS 2027” movement and Nollywood artist, Paul Obazele disclosed that it is the contention of the group that if the National Assembly is fixed Nigeria will be fixed as they are the ones that can stand for the people.
“The truth is, we believe if the National Assembly is fixed, the nation is fixed. We believe that they’re the people who can actually stand in for the people. We believe that they are the people who can tell the governors the truth.
We also believe that they are the people who can tell the president the truth. We believe that if they legislate well for us, the nation will be at peace, not a situation where they lie to the president, they lie to the governors.
The president means well, the governors mean well, they lie to them. What are they doing with their constituency funds? What are they doing with it? Why have they not been able to actually do those things they are supposed to do with regards to what those funds are meant for? Why make it look as if they are not given such funds to work? These are questions we are asking.”
On how to achieve this, Obazele assured that the group will support the legislators that are working and go against those who are not working during the 2027 election cycle.
“Let our people come out. The ones that are working, they will be left. The ones that are not working, we will support the next set of people that are coming in to push them out.That is the reason why we are doing what we are doing. Let them come and contest because the voice of the people must be heard. The vote of the people must be seen. The agitations of the people must be heard. That is the truth must be addressed, we must address it. You just experienced now one of those we are supporting. You experienced one now so you will tell the story.”
In his response to the sponsorship gesture, the recipient of the N2M, Joshua Ibukun, thanked the “Fix NASS 2027” movement for the sponsorship, noting that before his encounter with the movement he did not know there are people with the welfare of the people in mind such that they’ll devote such huge sum of money to sponsor his election.
“Today happens to be the first day I will attend a political event in this kind of form. From the inception, I used to think politics is meant for the elites and just the outside aspects.I just understand that it’s for everybody and everybody needs to get involved. So right now, I am opportuned to be the winner for full sponsorship for the State House of Assembly in the forthcoming election. I can contest and I would definitely win if all things are equal.”
Various groups at the event which include the League of Women Voters, Conference of Non Governmental Organisations (CONGOS), National Association of Women Journalists (NAWOJ), National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) from the various tertiary institutions in Edo, Ondo and other South-South States, other civil society organisations, Women groups and faith based organisations; all gave their commitment to be part of the “Fix NASS 2027” movement and ensure that the National Assembly becomes a true representative of the people.