Donald Duke, Jega, Utomi launch new political project to rescue Nigeria

Ahead of the 2023 general elections, a group of intellectual politicians has launched a project called Rescue Nigeria Project (RNP), which they believe will rescue Nigeria from the stranglehold of the PDP and APC.

RNP may well morph into a political party or maintain its current disposition of a political pressure group.

Founders of the RNP include ex-Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof Attahiru Jega; political economist, Prof Pat Utomi; former Governor of Kwara State, Ahmed Abdulfatah; and former Governor of Cross River State, Donald Duke.

Others include Prof Tunde Adeniran, Senator Lee Maeba, Usman Bugaje, Amb. Nkoyo Toyo, Yomi Awoniyi, Dr. Rose Idi Danladi and Dr. Sadiq Gombe.

Delivering the keynote address, Abdulfatah lamented the state of the nation, noting that the high level of nepotism and lack of inclusiveness has given rise to agitations from different ethnic groups and calls for secession.

“It is based on this that we decided to set up this RNP. We want to salvage this country and see how we can fix the mess.

"We want to set a template and key criteria that leaders must have before they can attain any political position,” Abdulfatah, who governed Kwara from 2011 to 2019, said.

The group says it knows that the task of rescuing Nigeria from the PDP and APC won't be easy, but that it is determined to press on with the project.

The PDP and APC have governed oil-rich Nigeria for a combined 22 years, since the country's return to civilian rule in 1999.