Africanist Party of Nigeria
PRESS STATEMENT (November 04, 2000)
A group of Nigerians, both in the
Diaspora and in Nigeria, have decided to come together to found a new political
movement that will culminate in the formation of the Africanist Party of Nigeria
(APN). The APN is being founded to provide a veritable alternative to present
political party formations which appear to lack vision, direction, purpose and
leadership, at least, in the eyes of the average Nigerian.
The APN shall be an ideologically driven grassroots political party with a
primary mission to position Nigeria as a united, strong, secular and prosperous
golden star of Africa. We believe that, by refocusing the hopes and aspirations
of Nigerians on ways and means of realizing an African Renaissance for the 21st
Century, we can close ranks and stop all the unnecessary bickering that has so
far stifled all efforts at nation building.
This stance clearly makes the APN a party that will not dissipate its political
capital on issues that are not fundamental in its vision for the new Nigeria
that we are determined to build. Our profound faith in pan-Africanism implies
that the scope of our mission projects far beyond the borders of Nigeria. We
shall, therefore, need to establish the framework for strengthening Nigeria in
all aspects of human endeavor so as to establish the focal point for initiating
the process for realizing the pan-Africanist dreams of our predecessors.
AFROCENTRISM AS NATIONAL PHILOSOPHY
An APN national government shall not only continue to make Africa the
centerpiece of our foreign policy, it shall also make Africa the focus for
generating and sustaining Nigeria's internal policy. The APN's national
mission for Nigeria is to establish a strong and vibrant geopolitical base for
orchestrating an African renaissance. Redemption of the Black African shall
always be in focus while delineating new educational, health, economic and
foreign policies of 21st Century Nigeria. A clearly defined Afrocentric doctrine
shall provide the yardstick for monitoring and assessing the performance of
national institutions and policies as well as individuals and groups who are
assigned to design and implement them. Stature of pride and honor shall be
restored to the indigenous African cultural value system, which has been
denigrated and trampled upon since the forcible introduction of alien values
into Africa. The mindset of the new Nigerian shall be anchored in rejuvenated
self-pride that is no less robust or compelling than those that are often seen
in other cultural groups around the world.
A UNITED NIGERIA
The APN understands and accepts the realities of the political history of
Nigeria and will not initiate policies that will attempt to revisit or revise
geo-political arrangements that already exist. We believe in the present
36-state structure as well as in the 6 geo-political zones as the basis for
future political, technological and economic development of Nigeria. The
constitution will remain as the supreme document that sustains all Nigerian
democratic structures and any amendment can only be made within procedures
stipulated by the law. The APN, as a national grassroots political movement,
re-emphasizes equality of all Nigerians in all aspects of nationhood and is
strongly averse to sectional, ethnic, religious or pressure groups that aim to
overwhelm any other for special benefits.
Therefore, the APN is strong, clear and sincere in one of primary missions
to unite Nigeria.
A STRONG AND PROSPEROUS ECONOMY
The APN is committed to developing sound, clear and easy to implement economic
policies that build strong and virile economic infrastructure for Nigeria.
Within a secured economic atmosphere for local and foreign
investments, the APN shall pursue policies of liberalization and privatization
by improving models presented by VISION 2010. The APN shall institute both new
and proven economic paradigms that shift from current oil-based revenue
generating scheme. Free-market economy shall become the guiding policy for the
new Nigeria. The APN government, in keeping with the principle of minimal
interference in micro management of the national economy, will completely divest
itself of interests in manufacturing, distributive and retail businesses by
completely privatizing government parastatals to communities or the private
sector.
The APN shall encourage the creation of more jobs especially in the technology
sector to absorb downside effects of current global economic order. It shall
seek to provide checks and balances by encouraging strong and effective
organized labor fronts. The APN understands the vast potential of human capital
and resources of Nigerians in the Diaspora and shall effectively harness these
capital and resources toward building a strong and prosperous Nigeria economy.
The APN is committed to instituting a paradigm shift that will ensure that
people move to wealth generating resources and not the other way round. We
understand the inherent corrupting tendency of present arbitrary method of
redistribution of nation's wealth. Therefore, the APN shall enable states to
control much of its resources under a different set of formula than obtains
today. States shall also bear the ultimate responsibility for dealing with
resultant environmental challenges of economic activities.
A STRONG PROFESSIONAL MILITARY
The APN shall oversee the rebuilding of the Nigeria Armed Forces to become the
best in Africa. The new military formations shall be structured to be fully
capable of defending national and regional military interests as needed. The
current reorientation of the military will be intensified and streamlined within
APN's Africanist vision for purposes of injecting professionalism, modernity and
greater effectiveness within all ranks.
A SECULAR NIGERIA
The doctrine of separation of the church and state shall be paramount in the new
Nigeria envisaged by the APN. We believe that issues of religion belong with the
realm of religious preferences and must not interfere with constitutional
guarantees and freedom of choice of Nigerians. No religion, as an alternative
legal entity for Nigerians, shall be encouraged by the APN platform. There shall
be freedom of worship and association irrespective of the ethno-cultural
background or choice or residency of the citizen.
SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
The position of disadvantage to which the African has been relegated since his
interaction with the outside world was predicated on the relative technological
inferiority of our pre-colonial societies at the time of initial encounter.
African renaissance shall be founded on re-establishing the historical
preeminence of Africa in the evolution of human endeavor since prehistoric
times. The APN shall empower the transformation of the Nigeria society through
science and technology, from present status into becoming a relevant entity in
the global equation for the 21st Century. The APN, therefore, strongly commits
to ensuring a scientifically and technologically driven modern Nigerian society
through targeted education, increased scientific research and development,
computerization of all government learning and bureaucratic institutions,
establishment of a viable technology corridors and centers of excellence across
Nigeria. The APN shall, among several initiatives, also launch an indigenously
fabricated man-made satellite into orbit from the African soil within its first
decade in national leadership.
EDUCATION
The APN recognizes the disintegrating quality of education in Nigeria and the inherently polarized nature in geographic spread of recipients. In today’s fast-paced- computerized scientific society, the importance of qualitative education cannot be under emphasized. As education remains on the concurrent list, the APN shall commit to adequately funding the educational institutions and programs geared toward educational research and development The APN shall institute novel programs aimed at qualitative nomadic education, Universal Head-Start schooling for all children and those targeted through all educational levels.
NATIONAL RECONCILIATION
There is a universal agreement amongst all opinion groups in Nigeria that a sort
of national healing and reconciliation will be necessary to enable all Nigerians
come to terms with many traumatic experiences of the past and thus become better
disposed to unite for nation building and for the future. The APN shall not miss
the opportunity to utilize our common experiences of difficult years to buttress
the essence of national unity for which huge sacrifices have already been made.
The APN will facilitate the reconciliation process as a priority through
practical, effective and optimum methods of resolution.
SUSTENANCE OF DEMOCRACY
The APN believes in community-based democracy and a smaller 3-tier Federal
Government. The APN shall devolve some of existing federal powers while
enhancing increased constitutional autonomy of all 36 states.
The APN understands the importance of internal security of lives and property in
Nigeria. Unfortunately, Nigeria's security institutions have become inept due to
challenges of leadership and excessive corruption over the past decades. The APN
commits itself to restructuring the Nigeria Police Force and the national
investigative and intelligence units to guarantee peace and public safety for
the entire society. Formation of ethnic and clandestine militias is antithetical
to APN’s vision for a new democratic Nigeria. Therefore, the APN shall not
condone or create any atmosphere for ethnic militias to proliferate.
Women are traditionally disseminators of culture and are therefore best suited
in the quest for sustenance of our democratic and anti-corruption cultures. The
APN also understands the imbalance and deliberate marginalization of women in
political and professional spheres of the Nigeria society. The APN, as a party
for all Nigerians, is positioned to correct the existing gender imbalance by
inclusion of more women in all levels of the government machinery while also
developing and implementing other special programs for empowerment of women.
Mr. Clement Ikpatt
Coordinator,
APN Founding Committee (USA)
Phone- 267-243-6581