This document outlines the manifesto and election platform of the Take Back Nigeria 2019 Initiative and Jaye Gaskia for President campaign. It provides background on the need for a radical left political alternative in Nigeria to challenge the ruling class. The platform is based on principles of accountability, social justice, and popular participation. It advocates democratic socialism and aims to enthrone participatory governance, ensure social and economic rights, and undertake political and economic reforms such as restructuring the Nigerian federation, strengthening local governance, and developing a developmental state.

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TAKE BACK NIGERIA
...Reclaiming Our Humanity/Nigeria for Social Justice and Social Transformation
Being the Manifesto & Election Platform of the
TAKE BACK NIGERIA 2019 INITIATIVE (TBN 2019 INITIATIVE) AND
THE JAYE GASKIA FOR PRESIDENT [JG4P] CAMPAIGN
“This platform represents the beginning of a process to aggregate
and articulate a vision, and outline a program of action for a Citizen
led and People driven Radical Social Transformation of Nigeria. We
call on every active citizen interested in the project to remake our
country, including interest in contesting for elective office as a way
of making this transformation to happen, to endorse this platform,
contribute towards fine tuning it, and cohere around it as our basic
minimum program regardless of party affiliation”

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FROM PROTEST TO POWER, STREET TO SERVICE, GRIEVANCE
TO GOVERNANCE …..
BACKGROUND AND CONTEXT
Our platform derives from recent series of calls issued to challenge activists to
step out, take up the epochal challenge of establishing a radical, left
alternative political platform to challenge the treacherous, treasury looting and
kleptomaniac ruling class for political power, and utilise that power to deliver
pro-people governance.
For a generation, the world has been passing through tumultuous and chaotic times, defined and
characterised by the most severe and all embracing systemic crisis of the global capitalist system.
The crisis is at once a food, financial, economic, environmental/ecological, social and political one.
And rather than abate, it has continued to deepen with the food crisis of 2007 and the epochal
collapse of the financial system in 2008. The Eurozone crisis has become the most enduring emblem
of this global crisis.
This global crisis has seen in recent times, the most concentrated contestation for the minds of the
people by extremists, mainstream political platforms; as well as a rise of the radical left and the ultra-
right.
Everywhere across the globe, the political establishment are being shaken to their very foundations,
with victories for forces on both the right and the left.
The most potent danger remains, the rise of the Far Right, and its twin, extremism, including violent
extremism of all hue and color.
In Nigeria, this deep-rooted crisis of neo-liberalism is compounded by ineptitude, political and
economic incompetence, as well as selfish pecuniary interests of a parochial and looting political elite.
The response of the impoverished, unemployed, overexploited and politically unrepresented majority
of the citizens across the world has been a massive wave of resistance. The wave has produced the
Arab Spring in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA region); the general strike and anti-austerity
resistance movement in Europe that led to the collapse of governments: Greece, Ireland, Iceland,
Spain, Portugal, Italy, France, UK, Netherlands, etc.
In Nigeria, the masses‟ response was the historic January Uprising, the most widespread and national
mass street protests (across more than 55 cities for 12 days), the longest-lasting general strike (one
week), as well as most successful mass action in the history of Nigeria.
A failure to harness this energy, led to the co-option of the movement and resistance by devious
sections of the ruling class, culminating in their victory in the 2015 General Elections.
Evident from the experience of the Arab spring, the political convulsions in Europe, and the January
Uprising is that a definite and clear-cut alternative to deprivation, autocracy and the political and
economic brigandage of the global ruling class must be built. This clear-cut alternative must be

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politically organised and must seek political expression; this alternative must eventually take on the
ruling class and contest for power. This clear-cut political alternative must then proceed to reorganize
society and implement an alternative politico-economic policy framework that will prioritise people
over profits, wellbeing over greed, and the security of citizens over state and elite security.
This manifesto, is a declaration of the outline of the governance program that this electoral platform
seeks to implement. The platform is for every Nigerian, active and radicalized by and since the
January Uprising. It is a direct exhortation to all active citizens, all those tired of our failure to realise
our full potential as a country and people; to heed this call to action and join us in this seemingly
improbable, but nevertheless desirable journey to RECLAIM OUR HUMANITY, REMAKE OUR
COUNTRY AND TAKE IT BACK FROM THE ALLIANCE OF INCOMPETENT, INEPT, AND
TREASURY LOOTING ELITES!
It is a call to reclaim our humanity and citizenship. Together we can and shall build this party and
transform our country!
1. Name
The name of our political project is TAKE BACK NIGERIA 2019 INITIATIVE (TBN 2019):
Our project is one for the Democratic Socialist Reconstruction of our Nation….
...„Democratic‟ because at all times the platform shall promote and actively encourage the full
participation and involvement of members in the constitution of platform organs, as well as in the
decision making and decision implementation processes (internal democracy). Also, the platform shall
always promote and actively encourage the full participation of all citizens not only in the election of
the leaders of state institutions, and in the composition of state organs, but also in the formulation and
implementation of policies and legislations central to ensuring participatory governance at all levels.
...„Socialist Reconstruction‟ because as a platform we are committed to the equitable redistribution of
wealth; the promotion of social justice and equity, the recovery of ill-gotten wealth and looted funds
from the treasury; the prosecution and punishment of corruption and treasury looting; the provision
and guarantee of access to basic social services and infrastructures by all citizens regardless of
status, origin, conviction, gender or age, etc. While promoting wealth creation, we are committed to
closing the gap between the rich and the poor, while ensuring the all-round development and
empowerment of every section of the population, and every relevant sector of the economy. This
development and empowerment shall be of political, social and economic nature.
2. Motto
The motto of our platform is: Liberty, Equality & Justice for Social Transformation.

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3. Pledge
The pledge of our platform, which is a declaration of our commitment is:
„Nigeria never through me shall come to any harm;
the progress and development of every citizen shall I at all times promote;
And to the reconstruction of a new nation based on social justice and equity shall I be committed.‟
4. Vision
The vision of our platform is:
„A country owned by her citizens; where each one can realise their full potential as human beings‟.
5. Mission
The mission of our platform is:
„To enthrone participatory governance, accountability and transparency, peace and justice, with
integrity and merit as the bases for leadership.‟
6. Core Principles
Our core principles define what we stand for as a platform, and are the drivers of our platform‟s
strategic direction. These are centred on the following:
a) Accountability and Transparency as basis for trust
b) Social Justice & Equity as benchmark for action
c) People & Popular Participation at the centre of every decision.
With respect to the foregoing, these core principles are defined in the following areas:
(a) Political
(i) Ideology
The platform‟s ideological orientation is Democratic Socialism. We shall at all times promote popular
participation by all citizens; and we are a platform for social justice and equity. TBN 2019 shall at all
times promote equality of access to basic services, social infrastructures, and opportunities. The
platform shall ensure not only the redistribution and equitable distribution of wealth that is socially
created, but also the drastic reduction in the gap between the rich and the poor. We shall at all times

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work towards the building and construction of a society where no one is left behind, excluded, or
marginalised in a manner detrimental to the full realisation of their potential.
A chain is as strong as its weakest point; in like manner, a nation is as strong and cohesive as the
level of inequality and poverty among her citizens.
(ii) Dealing with Diversity
Nigeria is an emerging nation state that is an amalgam of different ethnic/national/socio-cultural
entities at various levels of socio-economic development. Given this reality, all stakeholders must be
given a sense of belonging, and enabled to play equitable roles in the building of the nation.
Our platform shall work towards the convocation of a democratically constituted Sovereign
Constituent Assembly (SCA), with representation based on social formations of citizens, not limited to
ethnic formations, but also including Labour, youth, women, other disadvantaged groups, etc.
(„Sovereign‟ here refers to the manner of its composition with the citizens as the source of all political
powers.) This SCA shall also include representations from independent delegates‟ conferences
(IDCs) of social formations which shall also be convened at state levels. The recommendations of the
SCA shall be validated in a national referendum, and shall then constitute the basis for a new Federal
Constitution for Nigeria.
Managing the crisis and tension amongst the “federating units” has also thrown up many initiatives
including federal character principle, and the necessity to achieve a balance with merit. Inequalities
between the genders, and the exclusion of women, youths and people living with disabilities [PLWDs],
have also created the urgent need to promote equal opportunities, and take action to bridge the gap.
Our platform shall promote the transparent implementation of a modified Federal Character And
Equal Opportunities principle on the basis of merit, and in conjunction with merit. Federal Character
And Equal Opportunities as a principle to ensure balanced representation and development among
constituent units of the federation, and constituent units of the population – in particular, the
disadvantaged [Women, Youth, and people living with disabilities (PLWD)], can only lead to the
achievement of its stated goal if it is seen as a time-bound affirmative action principle. In this regard,
our platform shall ensure that there is a time frame for the achievement of the lofty objective of
balanced development, while putting in place mechanisms to track and monitor progress towards
meeting the stated goal. In its implementation, our platform shall ensure that merit shall form the basis
of the implementation. Only qualified persons from the areas to be represented through the Federal
Character and Equal Opportunities principle shall be considered. Where it is difficult to meet the basic
criteria defining merit, then the most qualified will be considered and put on special development
programme to enable such persons fulfil the merit criteria within a reasonable time frame.
(iii) Constituent Units of the federation and the Centre
In the face of autocratic military interventions, and the consequent litany of many military-created
states that are now mere expenditure centres without any capacity to undertake development
initiatives, there is a very urgent need for a radical review of the present structure. Most of the
resources going to states are only enough to cover administrative cost. This, taken together with the
crass corruption in governance at all levels, leaves little or nothing to pursue development projects,
which is the ultimate reason for the existence/creation of these structures. Hence, we shall rigorously
pursue the restructuring of the Nigerian federation, to achieve equity, balance, and fiscal autonomy,
as part of the integral process for reconstructing a Nigerian nation-state.
For our platform, any serious commitment to address this crisis of grievously defective structure, will
include devolution of powers from the centre to the constituent units, appropriate delineation of the
powers of the centre and the constituent units, some form of reconfiguration of the existing states,; all

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with a view to make the federating units more politically cohesive and economically viable as centres
of human development.
(iv) Local Governance
We are committed to a comprehensive local governance reform that will lead to the emergence of
effective governance at that level. Core elements of this reform include a minimum tenure length of
three years for one term. The second element will be fiscal autonomy. While states as the component
units of the federation shall retain control over creation law based administration of local
governments; only a democratically elected system of local governments shall be constitutionally
guaranteed. The practice of unelected caretaker committees shall be abolished and states who
undertake such practices shall be punished.
One of the core elements of this local governance reform shall also include promotion of
establishment of formal democratically elected community governments and integrating this into the
system of local government administration.
(v) Electoral Process and Selection of Candidates
Our platform commits to the development of such basic minimum criteria and guiding principles for
the observance and enthronement of internal democracy in political parties. We shall lead by
example. After the reform of the political party process Party members shall be able to fully participate
in decision making and implementation processes of their party, as well as in the election and
appointment of party members into party organs, and in the selection of party members for external
positions in which the party is seeking to be represented.
(vi) Other Arms of Government
A sampling of the legislative arm across the country presents a costly and inefficient structure; we
need to review the permanent nature of the legislature from local to federal level. This will require
delineation of wards and constituencies, with considerations given to not only geography, but also
other criteria, including social formations (Labour, for instance), demography, gender, disability, and
marginalisation. The legislative arm at all levels shall be composed of elected legislators who shall be
on part time basis. Legislators shall sit for approved number of days in a year for which they shall be
paid. All elected legislators must not only have operational constituency offices, but must also hold
regular constituency forums with constituents. Our platform shall ensure that the legislative arm is
reformed along these criteria to enhance performance and participation and reduce the tendency
towards inefficiency and unsustainable overheads.
Additionally, as a matter of constitutional principle, each arm of the government – Executive,
Legislature and Judiciary, shall enjoy financial autonomy as one of the safeguards of the principle of
separation of powers and to enhance checks and balances in our polity.
Our platform shall also introduce as part of a comprehensive reform and restructuring of governance
aimed at ensuring accountability and real representation, the community level tier of government.
Communities shall be encouraged to have democratically constituted community governance
structures which shall be formally recognised by the constitution.
(vii) Citizenship & Indigeneity
Everyone who is given birth to in Nigeria, or who has Nigerian parents shall be a Nigerian citizen
entitled to all the full benefits of citizenship anywhere in Nigeria. Our platform shall not only promote
this doctrine, but shall also actively discourage and de-legitimise the dichotomy of citizenship and
indigene-ship status introduced by self-serving elites.

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However, political representation of an entity such as a state/constituent unit, and other electoral
constituencies, shall be on the basis of origin (including being born in the territory of such a state or
entity) as well as on a proven continuous residency in such a state/entity over a period of 3 years in
the minimum. This criterion of three years residency may be varied depending on the particular level
of governance or on the particular arm of government or state institution.
(viii) Fundamental Human Rights
Our platform shall promote the full realisation and guarantee of all human rights, be they civil and
political, or economic, or socio-cultural rights. We shall operate from the principle that human rights
are indivisible.
In this regard, we shall as part of the constitutional reform process, work towards making all
fundamental human rights justiceable, subject to the demonstrated efforts of governments to ensure
their progressive realisation.
Our aim is to work towards a situation where every government shall on a yearly basis present for
legislative scrutiny its efforts towards realising the rights stated in the constitution.
(xi) State Reconstruction
We shall promote the radical reconstruction of the state as part of a deliberate and conscious process
of nation building.
The shall build and run a developmental state, a state that plays a conscious, proactive and strategic
leadership role in assuring the development of the country. At the core of this state shall be the
effective and efficient delivery of public services, ensuring evolution of welfare and development
oriented state system.
To achieve this, we shall return to the path of regular periodic, but participatory and inclusive national
development planning framework to guide the development process.
(x) Pan Africanism and Continental Leadership
Our platform shall promote Pan Africanism and integrated Pan African political and economic
development on the continent.
We shall seek to galvanise African processes and seek to provide leadership in Africa, as well as for
all black persons across the globe.
We shall leverage on our unique position as Africa‟s most populous country and largest democracy,
as well as the country with the largest aggregation of black persons across the world to provide
leadership for Africa and black people on issues directly affecting Africa and black persons wherever
they may live across the world.
(b) Economic
Our Platform shall promote economic policies based on its ideological orientation of democratic
socialism. We shall promote and ensure not only adequate and conscientious state regulation of the
economy, but also the active and proactive state participation in the economy under the framework of
democratic state leadership. This shall enhance democratic self-management of the economy through
promoting democratic participation and representation of all critical stakeholders in the overall
management of the economy as well as in the management of each sector of the economy.
Promoting democratic participation in the overall management of the economy and each sector of the
economy means that our platform shall work towards the realisation of active stakeholder and

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citizens‟ participation in the management and regulation of the economy. Stakeholders including
communities where economic entities and processes are located or take place will have real
opportunities to participate in decisions which would or are likely to impact on them as owners,
shareholders, workers, management, consumers, community residents, etc. Besides the
establishment of democratically elected Community Government and governance as part of a
comprehensive Governance Reform process, will ensure that communities will have established
democratic governance structures through which their engagement with the economic processes can
be mediated.
It is important to point out and emphasise the global historic failures of both the undemocratic state-
run economies (epitomised by the dramatic collapse of the USSR and Eastern Europe at the
beginning of the 90s) and their economic cousins, the undemocratic private-sector led economies
(also epitomised by the economic and consequent political crisis of global capitalism since 2007).
In this regard, it is of great significance to our platform that any modern economy should draw from
and integrate the lessons of the collapse of the two extreme variants of economic and political
organisation of society: without democratic participation and involvement of citizens in their various
roles and functions in the overall and sectoral management of the economy and polity, societies will
evolve authoritarian and mono-(even oligo-)-polistic structures, with the attendant marginalisation,
exclusion and exploitation of the overwhelming majority of citizens. The resultant effect will be
increased poverty (for example, in Nigeria where as at 2011 over 69% of the population, more than
100 million people live in abject poverty); widened gap between the rich and the poor (for example,
Nigeria, a country of over 160 million people, have 10 out of the top 50 richest Africans, and more
than 100 million very poor people); as well as economic collapse (Soviet Union, Eastern Europe,
Greece, Ireland, Iceland, Italy, Spain, Portugal) and severe political crisis (the Arab spring, the global
Occupy Movement, the waves of general strikes across Europe, the collapse of governments and
wave of inconclusive elections and hung parliaments in parts of Europe, The January Uprising in
Nigeria, etc).
i. Agriculture and Agro-Allied Industries
While the Federal government shall be responsible for setting minimum standards for all sectors of
the economy and polity, the full development of the realisation of the potential of the agriculture sector
shall be within the exclusive preserve of the federating units/constituent units of the federation;
subject only to the criteria of employment generation, support to farmers to access both the means of
production and of distribution, and providing the basis for ensuring food security and securing raw
materials for industrialisation, among others.
Our Agricultural policy shall be aimed at increasing and improving agricultural productivity, increasing
and enhancing household revenue, and providing raw materials to meet our domestic industrial and
manufacturing needs.
The policy shall close the gap between crop and animal/livestock production, and shall encourage
holistic and integral investment in, and development of agriculture as a whole.
We shall institute deliberate policies to ensure that we are not just producers of raw materials, but that
we also develop the full potential of value addition to meet our industrial needs. Fully integrated
Agribusiness development support services shall be provided for all stakeholders in agriculture,
including agriculture extension services. Such Agribusiness development services hubs shall be
established across the country in each Senatorial District.
The current devastating conflict between Herders and Farmers will be addressed within the context of
an integrated agriculture policy, with a view to promoting both agricultural livelihoods systems as
profitable businesses, while addressing the security dimension of the conflict.

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ii. Industrialisation and Sustainable Development
Our platform shall promote a focus on some core areas, as the basis for industrialisation. These
include, but are not limited to the following:
(a) Auto (including Aeronautic and Maritime)
Our platform shall actively promote the development of a robust auto industry as a basis for the
realisation of its programme of developing basic road/land (including rail), air and water transport
infrastructure and facilities. No economy can become successfully integrated and positioned to realise
its full potential without integrated transportation and communications development. For our platform,
a robust auto industry means not only the manufacture and distribution of cars, trucks, railway
engines and coaches, aircrafts and sea-crafts, but also the provision of the basic infrastructure to
make possible their full utilisation for the benefit of the economy. This will also be part of a massive
job creation programme.
Additionally, as an integral component of our industrialisation and agriculture modernisation program,
we shall through deliberate processes promote the development of agriculture mechanisation
subsector of the auto industry sector.
(b) Heavy Equipment
No economic development can be achieved without a heavy industrial basis. It provides the needed
basis for any industrial take off. Ajaokuta, Oshogbo, Aladja, Katsina steel/industrial complexes are all
laudable initiatives, but have remained comatose in the face of inept, corrupt, incompetent and
confused leadership. Our platform shall undertake programmes to revive and expand the heavy
industries, not only as a means of laying effective foundation for industrial development, but also as a
means of generating employment and drastically reducing poverty and the gap between the rich and
the poor.
(c) Military Industrial Complexes
For a country recognised as regional (ECOWAS & AU) leader and power, and aspiring to UN Security
Council permanent membership, it is a sad commentary that our country cannot produce light arms.
We cannot afford as a nation to continue to be complacent in this vital area for ensuring protection of
our territorial integrity and ensuring internal security through the protection of citizens; as well as for
both international respectability and economic development. Our platform shall take appropriate steps
to radically reform, restructure and reposition the military industrial complexes primarily starting with
the Defence Industries Corporation.
(d) Energy & Power
The provision of energy, as well as the generation and distribution of power is central to overall
capacity of the economy. In this regard, our platform shall carry out a radical overhaul of these twin
sectors, rooting out and punishing the corruption and ineptitude that has been the bane of the
development of the sectors and the realisation of our real economic potential. It is important and
decisive that power generation, distribution and transmission capacities be rapidly and consistently
increased and improved over the shortest possible period of time; while the product and service is
also made available, and accessible to Nigerians.
We shall deliberately promote the decentralisation of power infrastructure and processes [generation,
distribution and transmission], along with the generation of power from alternative and renewable
sources where we can develop comparative advantage.

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With respect to energy, and given the central nature of petroleum to the nation‟s economy, similarly
the platform will carry out a drastic, radical, open and transparent reorganisation and reform of the
sector. We shall ensure that within the lifespan of a single tenure in government that our nation
achieves adequate self-sufficiency in petroleum products refining and distribution capacity; while also
prioritising the development of a robust petrol-chemical industrial complex for the production of
chemicals, fertilisers, plastics, paint, etc.
Our objective is to turn the country into a net exporter of refined and other value added petroleum
products. We shall aim to meet both Nigeria‟s domestic needs as well as the needs of the sub region
and Africa for these products.
Petroleum refining shall be decentralised, and community and citizen participation shall be
encouraged in particular in the establishment and running of modular refineries.
(e) ICT
In the era of global digital connectivity/interconnectivity, Nigeria needs a robust ICT sector and
community deliberately supported and promoted by government intervention. Our platform shall
encourage this by promoting and ensuring access by all citizens, regardless of location or status to
the active utilisation of the internet and mobile telephony technologies; while actively supporting and
promoting the enhancement of popular participation in governance through development of e-
governance processes.
We shall through ICT Development Support Hubs provide necessary support and enabling
environment to encourage ICT businesses and start-ups.
iii. Rural / Urban Planning
The bulk of productive economic activities happen in the rural areas. It is also in the interest of the
country to halt rural-urban migration. A clear policy on how to achieve this is urgently needed.
Our platform shall ensure the full integration of rural life into the national life, polity and economy of
the country. It shall be a basic policy of governance for basic social services [health, education,
housing, and nutrition], as well as basic infrastructures [roads/transportation, electricity, internet/ICT,
storage facilities and markets, etc] to be provided and extended to rural communities and urban
slums.
Our policy of promoting local participatory governance through introduction and strengthening of
primary and formal community level democratic governments will go a long way in ensuring the
realisation of these goals and development objectives.
A formal democratic and representative community government means that there will be certain
aspects of revenue generated within a community that is directly collectable by the community
government to resource its activities. It also means that local government budgets will be articulated
on the basis of aggregated community government needs and plans. Our overall goal in this drive is
to reduce the disparity in the conditions between rural and urban life.
Our platform will also actively promote, encourage and support the development and reform of master
plans for all towns and cities, including villages and settlements, to facilitate and ensure sustained
systematic and balanced development. Such plans shall take into consideration the diversity in means
and capacity of residents of such settlements, villages, towns and cities, and ensure the development
of conditions and processes and systems that make towns, cities, and villages, places of comfortable
abode for every strata of the citizenry and residents.

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iv. Human Capital Development
In the era when our elites now more or less shamelessly send their children to schools overseas to
get quality education; and where the same elite go abroad to seek medical attention and care; we
must have a robust strategy to revamp our education and health systems. Our platform commits to
the open, transparent and participatory development of such a strategy. In the first instance we shall
undertake the radical reform of these sectors, while also undertaking the rapid rehabilitation and re-
equipping of the education and health facilities at all levels. Our goal is to ensure that every Nigerian
has access to compulsory, qualitative and productive y basic education up to secondary school level
(including adult education for those above school-going age); as well as to basic health care delivery
services. In the realisation of these, location, status, gender, demography (age), religious orientation,
cultural orientation, ethnicity, etc shall not be allowed as obstacles to the implementation of the policy.
As a way to ensure the commitment of government and citizens, in particular the elites, to the
realisation of these goals, our platform shall promote the banning of overseas basic schooling and
basic medical treatment for all officials of government (elected and appointed, including in the civil
and public services) and their relations.
Our education system and processes shall be reconfigured to meet the existential challenges of our
society. Education institutions will be geared towards solving our problems through needs based
research, innovation and development scholarship.
Our education system shall be oriented on producing critical, productive, self-confident, and
empowered citizens and citizenship.
Our health system shall be geared towards nurturing a healthy and fit citizenship, capable of meeting
the challenges of existence on the basis of maximum utilisation of their physical, mental,
psychological, and biological potentials.
The future of a country can be glimpsed through the quality of its investment in its children and young,
and this can be measured in the quality of their education and health.
v. Transport and Transportation
As part of the development of basic infrastructure that is accessible to the citizenry, our platform shall
prioritise rail and air transport for long distance travels and haulage through deliberate policy
initiatives that will actively develop rail and air travel systems and operations. In riverine areas, this
shall include the development of river/maritime transport systems and facilities.
Our platform shall furthermore promote maritime, rail and air transport for the distribution and carriage
of heavy cargoes. In addition, road, rail and air networks will be developed in a manner to integrate
the entire national economy, promote national unity, and promote active interaction among peoples
across the country.
An integrated, and modernised transportation system is the artery of a developed and modern
economy.
Our policy shall aim at transforming Nigeria into a major Hub for continental and international
transportation in Africa.
vi. Financial and Ancillary Services
Our platform shall promote deep-rooted reform of the financial sector, towards enhancing access to
adequate and qualitative financial and ancillary services by all citizens, and in particular economically
active citizens.

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New financial services products that encourage the integration of the rural economies to the national
economy as well as the integration of the informal and formal sectors of the economy shall be
promoted and actively supported.
Lagos is a natural hub for financial services in West Africa; it could claim such pre-eminence in Africa
with proper policy support and strategy.
vii. Tackling Poverty through Employment Generation and wealth creation
Our platform shall undertake a massive works programme aimed at rehabilitating and extending basic
social services and infrastructure across the country and to ensure access by all.
Such a program will necessarily involve the massive mobilisation and deployment of human, material
and financial resources to achieve. Open, transparent and participatory implementation of such a
policy will not only lead to the laying of solid foundation for national economic and human
development, it will also lead to creation of employment opportunities for many millions of
unemployed Nigerians. The overall outcome will be reduction in poverty levels, and drastic reduction
in gap between poor and rich through the redistribution of national wealth.
This massive social works program will also enable the promotion of a massive service industry. This
mutually reinforcing economic relationship shall be facilitated and deliberately enhanced through
economic policies that provide business development support services to SMSEs and the informal
sector. This will help to enhance their productivity and profitability, while also integrating them into the
formal sector, and ensuring increased revenue generation to enhance public service delivery.
viii. Promoting Regional Integration and Development
Our platform shall promote through deliberate policy and investment, the emergence and evolution of
regional economic development hubs on the basis of comparative advantage of the geo-political
zones.
These regional economic development hubs, will be owned and managed by the entities in the zone
through self-managed regional economic development commissions; and encourage regional
economic integration to take advantage of economies of scale, while also laying the foundation for
holistic integration of the polity.
(c) Social
i. General:
The central challenge is how to create an enduring social cohesion in the face of lingering crises
emanating from the repressive economic exploitation of citizens, and the exploitation of existing
cleavages by the political elites in their quest to gain access to, or retain control of political and
economic power. Nigerians now relate to themselves from point of hatred instead of love, mutual
suspicion instead of trust.
Our platform will actively promote national social cohesion through its economic and political policies
which shall be based on participation and inclusivity. By promoting enhanced and balanced
development, by tackling poverty and inequality, by ensuring access to basic services and
infrastructures, and by facilitating employment generation, coupled with a new anti-impunity culture of
participatory governance, we are sure that the necessary building blocks for national social cohesion
would be constructed.

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If we ensure that no one lacks the basics of existence, and no one suffers the loss of self-esteem that
comes with poverty, marginalisation and exclusion; we would be laying the foundation for social
cohesion.
Our platform commits to the introduction of a social security system that will safeguard the vulnerable
against poverty and exclusion, and that will include social protection safety nets appropriate for each
type of exclusion or vulnerability.
By reforming governance to ensure a system of democratic community self-government, we shall be
providing the basis for active citizenship and direct engagement with governance.
This will contribute towards enhancing community and citizen resilience, and consequent community
and citizen social cohesion.
Community and citizen resilience is a function of the existence and strength of community institutions
and their cohesion, which in turn is a direct measure of community governance.
II. Women Empowerment
The platform commits to promotion of women empowerment through affirmative action. Specifically,
we shall promote political representation of women in elected and appointed positions of governance,
as well as in the effective ownership and management structures of businesses. In this regard, we
shall be bound to an immediate implementation of the resolutions from the Beijing Conference, and
commit to ensuring the legislative and policy frameworks that enable this. We will chart a measurable
pathway to achieving parity over a period of time.
We shall begin by ensuring that no gender shall constitute less than 40% or more than 60% of
elective and appointive positions.
Within this framework of 40 – 60, we shall ensure that young persons, and PLWD of any gender shall
be integrated into this representation margins.
iii. Youth Empowerment
The TBN 2019 Initiative commits to the empowerment of youths, both politically and economically,
given the reality of the population demography, with a preponderance of youths under 35 years of
age. The national youth policy shall be reviewed in this light. Unemployment among youth shall be
actively combated, while the education and acquisition of necessary skills and competences among
youths shall be actively promoted.
Vocational and life education shall be encouraged and integrated into the education system, while
through deliberate policy opportunities for internship and volunteering as means of gaining practical
experience shall be made available for youth across the economy.
Restrictive age barriers that unfairly lead to exclusion of youths from being able to participate
effectively in the social, economic and political life of the nation shall be removed.
The voting age at 18 years shall be considered the age of adulthood, and every citizen who is
qualified to vote at 18, will also be qualified to be voted for subject to such other criteria as level of
education etc that may be put in place.
The enabling of a system of democratic community government along with that of democratically
elected local government, will also provide opportunities to channel and promote deliberate, direct,
conscious youth participation in and engagement with governance.
iv. Corruption, Crime and Insecurity

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Our platform is firm in its conviction regarding the dialectical link and dynamic between mind boggling
corruption, endemic poverty, pervasive unemployment, and crippling crime and widespread and
burgeoning insecurity.
We know that the shear scope and scale of a corruption, and because it is carried on with impunity
has become systemic; engenders a situation that constitutes a grave obstacle to national
development, improvement in the conditions of living of citizens, as well as any chance of
improvement of the national economy.
In the short to medium term, our platform shall undertake immediate and comprehensive security
sector reform, encompassing the police, armed forces, and other security and law enforcement
agencies, aimed at making them more responsive, and repositioning them as instruments for the
promotion of the security of the citizenry and their protection.
We shall, in particular ensure that community policing becomes the basic strategic thrust and
operational approach to policing in the country. We shall put in place mechanisms to strengthen and
improve civil-security relations and collaboration.
Our platform shall ensure that intelligence gathering, analysis and sharing; based on the restoration
and nurturing of a relationship of trust between citizens and security agencies and increased
coordination among security agencies; shall be at the heart of crime fighting and the prevention and
mitigation of violent out breaks and social disorders.
Security and crime fighting shall be intelligence led, technology based, community driven, and citizen
centred.
Priority attention shall also be given to the welfare and conditions of service of security personnel.
We shall make ensure a situation where the security forces will operate under the oversight of the
relevant civil authorities, as well as of citizens and communities.
In the medium to long term, we shall implement socio-economic and political policies which shall
address the grinding and excruciating poverty, alienation, impunity in governance, and crushing
joblessness that are the social roots of crime, violence and insecurity. It is these conditions which lead
impoverished and psychologically traumatised citizens into crime, criminality and acts of social
violence.
Our guiding principle with respect to security sector reform and tackling insecurity shall be a paradigm
shift from an emphasis on state security to one on human security; with the mantra that the guarantee
of the security of citizens is the basis for the guarantee of state and national security, and the
legitimisation of the state.
7. Participation Guidelines
We are building a political platform of a new type. Only aspiring members who share our principles as
well as our ideological orientation should endorse the platform and become part of our effort.
Known and active members of the Nigerian political elite, who are all implicated in the mess that has
become of our nation, and in the dragging of our nation to the edge of the precipice, shall not be
admitted into membership.

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The platform shall operate at community/neighbourhood, local government, state, zonal (geo-political
zones) and national levels, with corresponding structures and organs. The primary membership unit
shall be at the community/neighbourhood level.
Without prejudice to the above, membership is open to all Nigerians, irrespective of location, ethnicity,
religious faith, gender, age, status, or condition (with respect to persons living with disabilities).
As a platform, we shall actively canvass membership among workers (in both formal and informal
sectors), youths, women (in particular, disadvantaged women), and from civil society (including
organised social formations and citizens‟ groups).
8. Fundraising
Since it a movement-based platform, it must be a membership organisation with the ownership in the
hands of members. In the same vein funding would be so structured. Members would contribute to its
running in terms of regular membership payments dues, levies, registration, etc. Donations, with clear
conditions will however be accepted from time to time; while specific fund raising activities within the
ambit of existing legislations will also be undertaken.
9. Campaign Strategy
The campaign strategy (both for membership and for elections) shall primarily be based on and
rooted in this document (the platform campaign manifesto) as well as on other strategic documents of
the platform.
A full-fledged campaign strategy developed by the platform shall be produced and massively
disseminated to help guide the organising and mobilising work of the platform.
10. Core Areas of Intervention
There are five core areas of immediate intervention for our platform. These five core areas shall be
the foundation from which we shall seek to implement our full party manifesto. They constitute our 5
Cardinal Programmes. These include;
(i) Conscious Integrated National And Rural Development: including comprehensive
governance reform
(ii) Free public education at all levels; and in particular access to compulsory and qualitative
basic education up to secondary level, and addressing the issues of rights to and rights in
education.
(iii) Promoting Social Cohesion: through social inclusion and protection, and security sector
reforms
(iv) Facilitating Full Employment: through massive works and social program

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(v) Enabling Access to Basic health, basic nutrition and basic housing.
Our core areas of intervention derive directly from the basic thrust of our program of our platform. In
order to realise each of these basic core intervention goals, we shall develop fully fledged policy and
strategic frameworks for their implementation and actualisation.
This Campaign Manifesto has been developed and released for
mass dissemination and discussion by the:
TAKE BACK NIGERIA 2019 INITIATIVE [TBN 2019 INITIATIVE]:
SEPTEMBER 2017
YOU CAN DIRECTLY REACH AND CONTACT US THROUGH: