BY Deborah Adekaa
A group of concerned Benue citizens on have launched what they christened the “We the People of Nigeria Initiative,” a political movement aimed at deepening democratic participation, promoting accountability, and encouraging citizens to play more active roles in governance across Nigeria.
Speaking at the unveiling of the initiative in Makurdi, the National Convener, Barr. Justin Gbagir, said the movement would drive civic engagement, political awareness, grassroots mobilisation, youth inclusion, community empowerment, advocacy, and constructive dialogue as part of efforts to strengthen Nigeria’s democracy.
According to Gbagir, the initiative is committed to promoting the rule of law, justice, fairness, transparency, accountability, and inclusive governance, urging Nigerians to embrace active participation in the nation’s democratic process.
He congratulated Benue State Governor, Rev. Fr. Hyacinth Alia, and the people of the state on the State’s 50th anniversary, the governor’s 60th birthday, and his three years in office.
The Convener governor Alia administration’s infrastructure projects and economic initiatives, describing them as important steps toward the state’s development.
However, Gbagir expressed dissatisfaction with the conduct of the recently concluded All Progressives Congress (APC) primaries in Benue State, alleging that the exercise was manipulated and did not reflect the wishes of party members.
He alleged that candidates emerged through the influence of individuals referred to as the governor’s “point men,” insisting that the process undermined transparency, fairness, internal democracy, and grassroots participation, while creating widespread discontent among party faithful.
The legal practitioner questioned the legitimacy of the “point men” structure, arguing that it is neither recognised by the Nigerian Constitution nor backed by any known government policy. He further alleged that meetings convened during the primaries were designed to produce predetermined outcomes instead of fostering genuine consensus among stakeholders.
While calling on the APC leadership to rebuild confidence within the party, Gbagir urged the leadership to ensure transparent candidate selection, promote dialogue among stakeholders, and strengthen internal accountability ahead of the 2027 general elections.
He also referred to media reports alleging that the APC National Working Committee replaced some of the purported winners of the Benue primaries with loyalists of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume, over concerns surrounding the credibility of the exercise.
Gbagir maintained that political leaders must place the interests of the people above personal or factional interests, stressing that democratic legitimacy is derived from the consent of the electorate.
He warned that failure to respect the wishes of party members and citizens could further erode public confidence in Nigeria’s democratic process and worsen voter apathy.