Your Excellency Sir,
Please do permit us to wish you a very blissful and Merry Christmas. With utmost respect to your person, and the office you occupy as the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, we will like to simply introduce ourselves as citizens of Nigeria, variously domiciled in many parts of the world, but with a single conscientious desire to see that our nation come out stronger than it has ever been in years to come. We are simply concerned citizens who take the privilege of our patriotism to avail your office of our concerns.
Mr. President Sir, you are well aware of the enormous security challenges in different parts of Nigeria, especially the Northeastern region, where Boko Haram has become a ‘Terror Nation’ unleashing untold horror on the population. Boko Haram, we know, is a socio-cultural, econo-political and tribal-induced religious conundrum, that has defied every sense of justification or understanding. Be that as it may, we are also aware that the insurgency has been fought without the courage, zeal, zest and fortitude required to dislodge such ragtag militancy. Our military often give reasons why they have failed severally to end the crisis. We are of the strong opinion that the sponsors are politicians within the rank and file of your government with external support, exactly what you have publicly adduced to at different times.
There are enough evidences to show from reportage of the Boko Haram insurgency that our military hardware and weaponry always get into the hands of the ragtag army of insurgency, and no one has been brought to book on this. It is perceptible, and very apparent that Nigeria is NOT ready to engage Boko Haram. No nation is worth its existence if it cannot fight internal aggression within. How could such a nation subdue external incursion?
Our problems are much more than the aforementioned sir. Corruption has become socially endemic and systemic in our nation that prides itself as the fulcrum of African greatness. The myriads of our problems, however frightening they may be, can be surmounted if the WILL and COURAGE is there to engage them head-on. All our problems are self-inflicted. They are man-made! If they are self-afflicted, it then means we have enough capacity within ourselves to address and subdue it. If we fail, which is palpably manifest presently, then we have morally failed.
In the light of this, we the citizens of Nigeria have found the need to rally round ourselves as Nigeria Coalition For Free And Fair Elections (NICOFFE) to demand that you use your good office as the President of Nigeria to ensure we hold the General Elections billed for February, 2015, and make it free and fair. We believe that holding that elections will give faith to the constitution and integrity to your government. We have heard about the proposition demanding extension of your term under Emergency Rule to allow you put some policies in play. However, a strong argument should ridicule that since “government is a continuum.”
As it is today, we have the presidential candidates and their Vice for the two (2) major political parties in Nigeria declared to us. It should now be left to Nigerians to listen to where the contestants for the highest office in the land are planning to lead us for the next four (4) years. Our ears and eyes are on the ground to read between the lines of their manifestos to decide who to vote for in 2015.
You have done your best in the last four (4) years, and posterity is there to judge you on that. If we hold free and fair elections in February, 2015, and you win again, it then means the people have invoked another four (4) years confidence in you. And we wish you all the best on that. As it is now, the only legitimate thing to do is to give us Nigerians the opportunity to hold a General Election in 2015, and allow simple wisdom to prevail.
Please do know sir, we hold your office in high esteem.
May the good Lord bless Nigeria and Nigerians everywhere. Amen
Signed Nigeria Coalition for Free And Fair Elections (NICOFREE)
Olu G. Adeyinka (Administrator)
Arodudu Oludunsin Tunrayo (Secretary)
Aliyu O. Musa (Exco)
Adekunle Al Miftau Adeite (Exco)
Iyabo Ughojor (Exco)
Alao I. Zangalo (Exco)
Bissy Koya (Exco)
Akin Ajayi-Obe (Exco)
Hajara A Bello (Exco)
Busuyi Oloye (Exco)
Ayodeji Atiroko (Exco)
Gbenga Adalumo (Exco)
