*Former NBA president backs Buhari’s change agenda
*says govt programme pro-people and ideological shift to left
Dr Olisa Agbakoba (SAN), a Nigerian leading human rights activist, on Thursday said that credit should be given to the President Muhammadu Buhari administration for what he called ”economic policy correction”.
Agbakoba, a former President of the Nigerian Bar Association spoke at a news conference in Lagos.
He said that the government had created an ideological shift to the left and was pro-people.
The senior advocate, however, said he was sending a letter to the President, warning about “the conspiracy of the elite and its resolve to frustrate your reform agenda”.
“The ‘elite’, they represent a small per cent of Nigerians, but exert tremendous influence, with a view to state capture. This class is very dissatisfied about the ideological change of your government and they see this new agenda as a threat to their privileges.”
“The ‘elite’, they represent a small per cent of Nigerians, but exert tremendous influence, with a view to state capture. This class is very dissatisfied about the ideological change of your government and they see this new agenda as a threat to their privileges.
“As set out, they are the greatest roadblocks to your economic and political policy agenda,” he quoted from his letter to the President.
Agbakoba urged the federal government to confront the elite by entering into an alliance with Civil Society and the Nigerian people.
“There is also an urgent need to develop strategic communication policies. Government must avoid communication lethargy in 2016. People need to be carried along to inspire hope, followership, confidence and patience,” he said.
Agbakoba suggested that government should create an Office for Strategic Communication to link government with the people.
He said that the government’s new agenda and positive change must be well communicated for people to appreciate the extent of good meant for all Nigerians.
Agbakoba said that he endorsed the change agenda represented by the ideological shift in creation of structures for social benefits and inclusive political architecture.