We formed NEW NAIJA AGENDA to liberate Nigerians –Badmus
Recently you and some of your compatriots started a political campaign that evolved into a political organization .What informed this decision?
The large scale of political ineptitude, political recklessness and lack of corporate governance among our political class informed the decision to start the mass movement known today as the New Naija Agenda[NNA].It is a known fact that most political parties today have failed the people likewise the political appointees, after the era of late Papa Chief Obafemi Awolowo, Tafawa Balewa, Azikiwe and lots more, there has not been any party with a clear cut political ideology, all the parties like my father,Uncle Bola Ige once described them as the same finger of a leprosy hand, so there can not be any meaningful development from these politicians. Some of the elected party officers and public office holders do not even have political ideology nor understand what we call genuine democracy. So it is based on these that we formed a study group which was the nucleus of our mission about three years ago when we realized that most of our democratic structures have been proliferated by money-bags and we professionals in politics can not just watch the nation bleed to death and this led us to start a campaign for a new political order.
Why did you launch it on May 29, 2011 same day a new government was been sworn in ?
Yes, our public launch coincided with the swearing in of President Goodluck Jonathan because we can not wait any longer as we are afraid if we tarry a bit a replica of the event that engulfed the nation at the twilight of the last regime may mean doom for our nation.When lawlessness, violence, maiming and killing, bomb blast were the order of the day.Our youths needed a very distinct and new political ideology that is our goal with New Naija Agenda where peace, harmony shall reign supreme.
Can you throw more light on the New Naija Agenda?
Like I earlier said it is not an adhoc thinking or a mere political propaganda machinery like some have. In the past most of us have belonged to different political associations, parties, and groups but the link we have that attracted us to decide to work together is that we are all professionals, successful in our chosen careers, not an organization formed by failed professionals or businessmen.All our coordinators are men of proven integrity, highly respected individuals with genuine commitment to democracy and indivisible entity called Nigeria.We have strong passion for making Nigeria a better place for our children.It is our believe that Nigeria can still be better after our carefull appraisal of all the political office holders and their party we have a very strong believe that not all politicians are bad afterall Governors like Mr Raji Fashola,Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola and Adams Oshiomole are equally politicians but professionals. So if these people are doing wonders in their respective positions of power why can’t we support others to succeed. Mind you we also noted the strong passion of certain individual politicians who are committed to the total emancipation of their people like the ACN leaders Senator Bola Tinubu,Chief Bisi Akande, and others.
How are you going to achieve your goals since you claimed not to be affiliated to any party?
It is true we are not affliated to any political party but we will at all times work with party with developmental programmes that will liberate the people from shackle of poverty and war. That we support a party in the West does not mean we will support the same party in the south or in the north. New Naija Agenda is a mas movement that is determined to succeed where other similar groups or associations has failed. Because we have conducted research in Nigeria and abroad why political organisations failed in their mission to achieving their set objectives and goal.We will also honour politicians who have shown courage and display commitment to the ideal of true democracy like Governor Fashola of Lagos State and Rauf Aregbesola of Osun State both has displayed their loyalty to the electorate.And we shall hold accountable political office holders who misused their mandate to the detriment of the people.That is why our public launch coincided with the swearing- in of the new president as we shall beem our search light on the activities of the executive, the judiciary and the legislators from the local government level to the national level.As at to day we are already mobilising the people on how to monitor the people they elect that is why we have coordinators round the whole federal constituencies and in diaspora.So that we could monitor our politicians even outside the shores of Nigeria.
What are other features that make New Naija Agenda very different?
As I have given you reasons that gave birth to the organization I will as well have given reason to tell you that, the organization as a non party but political platform for social change established to champion the cause of the down trodden masses, the downtrodden citizen by monitoring government activities, policies and making positive and constructive criticism when necessary.We are equally putting in place mercenary to prosecute some erring politicians and public officeholders as our legal team have just finished compiling list of those to be prosecuted. The list is amazing when you quantify the rate of embezzlement with the rate of political propagandas put in place. This New Naija Agenda [NNA] is established to give Nigerians political liberty. We will not damn whatever it will take us to champion the cause of the down trodden masses, the downtrodden citizen by monitoring government activities, policies and making positive criticism when necessary. Very soon you will see our position paper on the issue of corruption both at state and national level each state have been mandated to do an in-depth analysis of level of political corruption among the political appointees and you will be amazed by the level of corruption in our land. Many of these politicians parading themselves as superstars will soon go to jail because there are many Bankole’s and Alameiysa among our politicians.Nigeria must be rid of corruption
What are the measures put in place by your organization to checkmate proliferation by the so called political class?
Our organization unlike the usual political pressure groups is founded on a new Nigeria agenda, we are the missing link in the politics you see how the ACN and the CPC party were able to mobilize the people during the last election it shows that what the voter really needed is adequate awareness that they should vote for the person before the party and we thank God that that the rate of ballot snatching has reduced to a barest minimum though the last election was highly monetized but we hope that the next election we will get it more right. And I earlier said that our organisation is an amalgamation or a coalition of professionals with proven integrity we are men of courage, vision and knowledge. While I will not rule out proliferation but before then we would have shown Nigerians how to think, we would have mentally re-orientate a higher fraction of the society and this would rub off on the larger population during the next poll. Many of us have been in many parties and we have found out that it is only political reorientation that can save the nation. And we are starting our awareness campaign round the six geopolitical zones soon.
Who is Chief Raheem 'Fola Badmus?
I always described myself simply as detribalized Nigerian, a committed democrat, with an unrepentant passion for indivisible Nigerian. Am a member of the ACN in Akure South Local government, by Gods grace the Sasere of Isikanland Akure, a very successful Telecom and Security equipment merchant, I run a very enterprising tourism company that owns the popular Ages Hotel, Akure and am known to be a socialite and a great philanthropist. I was one of the PDP leaders that decamped when I realized that all my views to call for genuine reconcilliations betwen all the aggrieved members of the party is not respected and today the event within that party in Ondo State and Nigeria by extension has vindicated me
